Today, U.S. Representative Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09), co-sponsor of the Elie Wiesel Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act of 2017, announced the passage of the legislation in the House of Representatives.

“I am so proud to cosponsor this bill, named for one of the most inspirational men of the last century,” said Rep. Pascrell. “This legislation reaffirms our moral imperative to respond to genocide and moral atrocities. Its passage loudly proclaims that we will never forget.”

The bill (H.R.3030) would establish the prevention of genocide and other atrocity crimes as a core national security interest and a core moral responsibility of the United States. Additionally, it would request that President instruct the State Department to establish a Mass Atrocities Task Force to strengthen our nation’s work and assist other agency efforts at atrocity prevention and response.

In May, Rep. Pascrell joined with 119 of his colleagues in sending a bipartisan letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urging the creation of an Anti-Semitism task force at the State Department.