Commems Collection Modern: 2025 US Foreign Service - Possible? #05

Bill(s)

Companion Bills
- S 789 (Introduced March 14 2023; Chris Van Hollen(D-MD))
- HR 1388 (May 18, 2023; Abigail Davis Spanberger (D-VA))

Short Title

- United States Foreign Service Commemorative Coin Act

Proposed Year of Issue

- 2025

Purpose

Celebration of diplomacy and in recognition of the 100th anniversary of the United States Foreign Service.


"Congress finds the following:

(1) On September 15, 1789, the 1st United States Congress passed an Act creating the Department of State and appointing duties to it, including the keeping of the Great Seal of the United States. Initially there were 2 services devoted to diplomatic and to consular activity. The Diplomatic Service provided ambassadors and staff for embassies overseas, while the Consular Service provided consuls to assist United States sailors and promote international trade and commerce.

(2) After World War I ended, Congress complemented the earlier efforts for Civil Service reform, interrupted by World War I, to create a career, professional diplomatic service. Representative John Jacob Rogers of Massachusetts introduced his first Foreign Service reform bill in 1919, followed by several others. He was strongly supported in his efforts by Secretary of State Charles Evans Hughes. The legislation provided improvements in the Diplomatic and Consular Services to attract highly qualified candidates "by keen competition". The objective was to create "a real diplomatic career, open to any American citizen who has the necessary qualifications".

(3) The Act entitled "An Act for the reorganization and improvement of the Foreign Service of the United States, and for other purposes", approved May 24, 1924 (43 Stat. 140, chapter 182) (commonly known as the "Rogers Act of 1924"), unified the Diplomatic and Consular Services in one career organization based on competitive examination and merit promotion. It was named the "Foreign Service of the United States of America". President Calvin Coolidge signed the bill into law on May 24, 1924. The first class of new Foreign Service officers was held in 1925.

(4) The Foreign Service of the United States is the primary United States Federal Government professional cadre of generalists and specialists charged with the conduct of United States diplomacy under the aegis of the United States Department of State. It consists of more than 15,000 career professionals carrying out the foreign policy of the United States and aiding United States citizens abroad.

(5) In 1946, after World War II, Congress passed the Foreign Service Act of 1946 (60 Stat. 999, chapter 957) to update the 1924 Rogers Act.

(6) In 1980, the Congress again updated the Rogers Act, passing the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 3901 et seq.), to promote the foreign policy of the United States by strengthening and improving the Foreign Service of the United States.

(7) Since the creation of the United States Foreign Service, generations of Foreign Service members and families have represented the United States around the world, in peace and war. Over 320 names are inscribed in the memorial plaques erected by the American Foreign Service Association and located in the lobby of the Harry S. Truman Building, the headquarters of the Department of State, to honor "diplomatic and consular officers of the United States who while on active duty lost their lives under heroic or tragic circumstances".

(8) The Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training is dedicated to capturing, preserving, and sharing the experiences of United States diplomats. The Association has created, managed, and maintained a Foreign Affairs Oral History program consisting of more than 2,600 first-person oral histories of United States diplomats to capture and share the legacy and contributions of modern United States diplomacy. The Association is a nongovernmental, member-based, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization housed on the campus of the George P. Shultz National Foreign Affairs Training Center and dependent on funds from members, donations, contracts, and grants to sustain its work."

Coins

- Up to 50,000 Gold $5 coins
- Up to 400,000 Silver $1 coins
- Up to 750,000 Clad Copper-Nickel $0.50 coins

Surcharges

- $5 coin: $35
- $1 coin: $10
- $0.50 coin: $5

Sponsor/Beneficiary

- Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training "to support the collection, curation, and sharing of diplomatic history in the United States via oral history, books, social media, and other means."

Comments

This is the type of coin proposal that I gravitate toward. It celebrates a facet of US history that has had a long-term and noteworthy role in shaping the country, supporting its people and promoting the country around the world. Plus, the funds raised by its coin sales would help efforts to support awareness and knowledge of the US Foreign Service well into the future.

I'd like to see this one get approved.

Likelihood of Passage?

The House bill currently has 35+ co-sponsors; the Senate bill has 28.

- Per GovTrack: <5% (as of date of this post)


For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including more Possible? commemorative coin stories, see: Commems Collection.