Help recognize 100 years of service by advocating for the United States Foreign Service Commemorative Coin Act, S.789/H.R.3537
Background: ADST is leading advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill on behalf of the foreign affairs community to promote passage of the the United States Foreign Service Commemorative Coin Actthe United States Foreign Service Commemorative Coin Act./H.R.3537, introduced last year by Senators Van Hollen (D-MD) and Sullivan (R-AK), Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), and a bi-partisan group of co-sponsors. You can help by writing to your elected representatives today, drawing from this Template letter to urge their cosponsorship.
Background: This budget neutral legislation calls on the Secretary of the Treasury to direct the minting of a coin to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the United States Foreign Service.
Commemorative coins issued and marketed by the U.S. Mint are a tangible way to build public appreciation for diplomacy, highlight the importance of history, and honor public service. In honoring this important centennial, the coin will recognize a century of Foreign Service contributions to American security and prosperity, commemorate the sacrifice made by those who gave their lives while serving, and honor the dedication of those who continue to serve in the face of a range of dangers.
Revenue from the sale of the coins will support technical updates to ADST’s invaluable foreign affairs oral history collection and improve ADST’s invaluable foreign affairs oral history program and improve the search and accessibility of its collection of over 2,600 American diplomatic oral histories spanning a century – a valuable public resource.
Our Ask: We need your help in getting cosponsors for this legislation, as soon as possible. Please contact your senators and representatives now, drawing from our Template letter, to urge them to cosponsor S.789 and H.R.3537 – and follow up regularly until they do or explain why not. You can also sign on to a group letter with others from your state and/or congressional district by completing this Google Form. We will then send our template letter to the appropriate Congressional office on behalf of all the constituents from your state/district to reinforce individual messages.
Commemorative coin bills require 290 House and 67 Senate cosponsors before they are sent to the floor. Therefore, not cosponsoring is a de facto NO vote. Visit our cosponsorship map to see who from your state has signed on to the legislation so far and learn more about contributions to America’s security and prosperity by foreign service personnel. Or check the Congress.Gov sites below for the official tally.
Cosponsors to Date:
List of Senate sponsors
List of House sponsors
Getting 67 senators and 290 representatives to co-sponsor this bill is a challenge, but we can do it if we make our collective voice heard. Constituent mail on this kind of bill makes a critical difference.
Advocacy Material:
ADST Senate Advocacy Flyer
ADST House Advocacy Flyer
Talking points
Amb. Kenneth Quinn – Des Moines Register Op-Ed, May 11, 2024
Amb. Ryan Crocker – The Spokesman-Review Op-Ed, May 19, 2024
Rep. Abigail Spanberger on the 100th Anniversary of the United States Foreign Service
The Hill – Foreign Service is the Front Lines of Diplomacy
Resources
1. Constituent letter template you can personalize and send to your representatives:
Template letter
2. Contacting Congress:
HFAC and SFRC leadership contact information
Find your Representative
Find your Senators
3. Lead office contact information:
Senator Van Hollen: [email protected]
Senator Sullivan: [email protected]
Representative Spanberger: [email protected]