Esther Coopersmith Award Act
Sponsored By: Senator Kaine, Tim [D-VA]
Introduced
Summary
Would create an annual Esther Coopersmith Award at the Department of State to recognize individuals or teams who advance the Women, Peace, and Security agenda and related empowerment efforts. The bill would amend the Foreign Service Act to add the rights of women and girls and include a five-year sunset.
Show full summary
- Foreign Service and Civil Service members who meaningfully advance the Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017 or the Women's Entrepreneurship and Economic Empowerment Act of 2018 would be eligible. Winners and one honorable mention each year must present their work and meet with the Secretary of State.
- The award focuses on actions that improve the physical safety, economic security, dignity, and equal access to aid for women and girls and that increase women's meaningful participation in peace and security processes.
- The Secretary of State would designate the Office of Global Women's Issues to run the award, rely on assistant secretaries and chiefs of mission for review, support recipient travel to a major global security conference, require recipients to present to the Chiefs of Mission Conference and at least one entry-level training course, and report to relevant congressional committees within 90 days of selection.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Add women's rights to Foreign Service
If enacted, this bill would amend Section 614 of the Foreign Service Act by inserting the phrase "and the rights of women and girls" after "freedom of religion." This would change the wording that guides State Department policies and personnel guidance. The change would influence how the Department sets priorities on human rights and gender issues.
Esther Coopersmith award for State employees
If enacted, this bill would create an annual Esther Coopersmith Award at the State Department. Recipients would be Civil Service or Foreign Service members who advance U.S. women, peace, and security goals under prior laws. Each year there would also be one honorable mention, and winners would meet with the Secretary of State. The Secretary would designate the Office of Global Women's Issues to run the award and get input from a review panel of Assistant Secretaries and Chiefs of Mission. Winners and honorable mentions would present their work virtually to the Chiefs of Mission Conference and to at least one entry-level Foreign Service class such as A-100. Within 90 days of selecting recipients, the Secretary would report to the Senate Foreign Relations and House Foreign Affairs Committees about recipients' efforts, outcomes, lessons, and steps to replicate the work. The Secretary would support recipients' official travel to attend a major global security conference.
Five-year sunset for the Act
If enacted, this bill would end the Act and the amendment five years after enactment. All programs, authorities, and obligations the bill creates or changes would cease to have any force or effect on that date.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Kaine, Tim [D-VA]
VA • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
AK • R
Sponsored 6/16/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov