A Democratic bill with 1 Republican cosponsor · See the cosponsor
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Esther Coopersmith Award Act creates an annual award at the Department of State to honor Civil Service or Foreign Service members who advance sustainable peace and security. Recipients are recognized for promoting women's leadership in conflict prevention, security, and economic empowerment. The bill also updates the Foreign Service Act of 1980 to include the rights of women and girls. Award winners must meet with the Secretary of State and provide training to other officers. The Secretary of State must report the recipients' efforts to Congress. This Act expires five years after it is enacted.
Yes· 3 of 6
- Scored +8
Would women be better off under this?
The bill centers on advancing women's leadership, rights, and economic security globally.
- Scored +6
Does this narrow the gap between how men and women are treated?
The bill promotes women's leadership and explicitly adds the rights of women and girls to the Foreign Service Act.
- Scored +5
Does this favour talking over confrontation abroad?
The act incentivizes diplomats to advance sustainable peace and security through the recognition of distinguished efforts.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Promotion of Women's Rights: The bill amends the Foreign Service Act of 1980 to specifically include "the rights of women and girls" (Section 3).
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Support for Women's Safety and Dignity: The award recognizes efforts that promote the physical safety, economic security, and dignity of women and girls, as well as equal access to aid distribution (Section 4(c)).
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Improved Global Stability: The bill recognizes that women's participation in conflict resolution promotes more inclusive and democratic societies and is critical for long-term stability and security (Section 2).
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Knowledge Sharing: Award recipients are required to present their work to entry-level training courses for incoming Foreign Service officers, which helps educate new diplomats (Section 5).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No negative impacts for individuals or groups of people in the United States are explicitly mentioned in the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would women be better off under this? — The bill centers on advancing women's leadership, rights, and economic security globally. Would children be better off under this? — The bill specifically includes the rights of girls in the Foreign Service Act.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this favour talking over confrontation abroad? — The act incentivizes diplomats to advance sustainable peace and security through the recognition of distinguished efforts. Does this strengthen ties with allied countries? — The bill encourages alignment of global efforts for peace and security via award recipient travel to global conferences.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this narrow the gap between how men and women are treated? — The bill promotes women's leadership and explicitly adds the rights of women and girls to the Foreign Service Act.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill requires the Secretary of State to report the efforts of award recipients to Congress.
- 6/16/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Lisa MurkowskiRepublican · Alaska