Esther Coopersmith Award Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 9405
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- International Affairs
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-23: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-02T22:26:44Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose The legislation establishes the Esther Coopersmith Award at the Department of State to recognize Foreign Service and Civil Service members for advancing sustainable peace and security, with emphasis on women's participation in conflict prevention, resolution, and related efforts. It builds on prior U.S. laws addressing women, peace, and security.
Key Provisions
- Creates an annual award, including one honorable mention, for contributions aligned with the Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017 and the Women's Entrepreneurship and Economic Empowerment Act of 2018.
- Recipients must promote women's leadership in areas such as integrating women's perspectives into conflict prevention, supporting their physical safety and economic security, and aiding early warning systems for violence.
- The award is administered by the Office of Global Women's Issues, with input from an Assistant Secretaries and Chiefs of Missions panel; recipients meet with the Secretary of State and present their work at conferences and training sessions.
- Requires a congressional report detailing recipients' actions, outcomes, U.S. interests, lessons learned, and replication steps.
- Includes a 5-year sunset clause.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Amends Section 614 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 4013) by adding "and the rights of women and girls" after "freedom of religion."
- Introduces new mandatory training and reporting requirements tied to existing Women, Peace, and Security authorities.
- Establishes a time-limited award program within the Department of State.
Potential Impacts
- On government agencies: Directs the Department of State to create and administer a new performance award, allocate resources for travel and presentations, and submit annual reports.
- On citizens: Recognizes U.S. diplomats' work but has no direct effects on the general public.
- On international relations: Encourages alignment of U.S. efforts with global partners on women's roles in peace processes and may support broader diplomatic engagement at security conferences.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Department of State employees in the Foreign Service and Civil Service.
- The Office of Global Women's Issues and senior State Department officials.
- Congressional committees (Senate Foreign Relations and House Foreign Affairs).
- International partners and governments involved in conflict prevention or peacebuilding.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- The amendment expands the scope of existing Foreign Service Act language without altering core authorities.
- The program operates within executive branch discretion but includes congressional oversight via reporting.
- The 5-year sunset limits long-term institutional commitment.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (1)
Rep. Kamlager-Dove, Sydney [D-CA-37]
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-23: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
- 2026-06-23: Introduced in House
- 2026-06-23: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Esther Coopersmith Award Act — issued 2026-06-23 — PDF (7 pages)