Kaine & Murkowski Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Create Esther Coopersmith Award at State Department

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) introduced the Esther Coopersmith Award Act, bipartisan legislation that would establish an award named in honor of Esther Coopersmith at the State Department. Mrs. Coopersmith was a philanthropist and champion of women's equality. The recipient of the Esther Coopersmith Award would be a member of the Civil or Foreign Service who has made meaningful contributions to advancing Women, Peace, and Security, a legal mandate that requires the State Department and other federal agencies to promote women's role in conflict prevention, peace negotiations, and post-conflict reconstruction.

"Women's leadership in efforts to prevent conflict and promote peace and security is a national security imperative," said Kaine. "I'm proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation to establish a State Department award named in honor of Esther Coopersmith, who worked throughout her life to support women's leadership, bridge divides, and forge peace. Ensuring that women are actively engaged in resolving critical national security concerns affecting their communities is essential to developing durable solutions to these crises. The United States must continue to push for women's meaningful participation in efforts to address critical national security issues, including ending violence and war. This legislation would help ensure we do just that."

"Esther Coopersmith's career was spent championing women's equality, and it's very fitting that the leaders following in her footsteps would be acknowledged with an award in her name," said Murkowski. "I'm honored to join Senator Kaine in this effort to recognize those members of the diplomatic corps advancing Women, Peace, and Security. Esther understood that lasting peace requires women to have a seat at the table, and this award acknowledges those carrying that work forward."

President Jimmy Carter appointed Mrs. Coopersmith as a U.S. representative to the United Nations (UN). In 1984, the UN awarded her its Peace Medal, the second woman to receive the honor. In 2009, she was named by UNESCO as a Goodwill Ambassador. She was later appointed by President Reagan to serve as an advisor to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. She regularly convened and provided a platform for women Members of Congress on a bipartisan basis.

The Esther Coopersmith Award Act would:

• Establish the Esther Coopersmith Award at the State Department for members of the Civil or Foreign Service who have made meaningful contributions to advancing Women, Peace, and Security and promoting women's representation.
• Require the award to be administrated by the Office of Global Women's Issues.
• Require award recipients to present at the State Department's annual chiefs of mission conference and at an entry-level training class.
• Authorize funding for five years for the implementation of the award.
• Require a report to Congress regarding the work award recipients have done in support of peace and security.
• Reaffirm the bipartisan advances in Women, Peace, and Security under Presidents Donald Trump, Joe Biden, and Barack Obama.

Companion legislation is being introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Representatives Lois Frankel (D-FL-22) and Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA-37).

Full text of the bill is available here.

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