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119-hr-9405119th Congress

Esther Coopersmith Award Act

Sponsored By: Representative Frankel, Lois [D-FL-22]

Introduced

Summary

This bill would amend the Foreign Service Act to _explicitly include the rights of women and girls_ and create the Esther Coopersmith Award to recognize State Department efforts on women, peace, and security.

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  • Women and girls in conflict-affected areas would gain focused diplomatic attention that promotes physical safety, economic security, dignity, and equal access to aid and services.
  • Civil Service and Foreign Service members or teams would be eligible for an annual award and one honorable mention each year. Winners must meet with the Secretary of State and the Secretary must support their official travel to attend a major global security conference.
  • The Office of Global Women's Issues would run the award with input from Assistant Secretaries and Chiefs of Mission. The Secretary must report to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs within 90 days of selection and the program would end five years after enactment.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

State Department award and policy

If enacted, the bill would create an annual Esther Coopersmith Award for Civil Service or Foreign Service members who advance U.S. women’s peace, security, or economic-empowerment goals. Winners (and one honorable mention each year) would meet with the Secretary of State, present their work to the Chiefs of Mission Conference and an entry-level Foreign Service class, and receive Department-supported official travel to a major global security conference. The bill would also add the phrase "and the rights of women and girls" to the State Department’s policy language on freedom of religion. The award, the reporting rules, and the policy change would expire five years after enactment, and the Secretary would report to the House and Senate committees within 90 days of selecting recipients describing U.S. interests, actions and outcomes, lessons learned, and steps for replication.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Frankel, Lois [D-FL-22]

FL • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Kamlager-Dove, Sydney [D-CA-37]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 6/23/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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