Introduction of the Women Who Worked on the Home Front World War II Memorial Act
Floor Speech
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Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, today, I introduce the Women Who Worked on the Home Front World War II Memorial Act, which would authorize the establishment of a memorial on federal land in the District of Columbia commemorating the efforts of the 18 million American women who kept the home front running during World War II. I thank Senators Tammy Duckworth and Marsha Blackburn for introducing the companion bill in the Senate. The House passed this bill by voice vote last Congress.
As a teenager, Raya Kenney, the founder of the non-profit Women Who Worked on the Home Front Foundation and my constituent, came up with the idea of a memorial to honor the women on the home front who supported the World War II effort. She rightfully questioned why the women on the home front whose efforts were so instrumental in maintaining the stability of the country during World War II have not received as much recognition for their contributions as the men who fought bravely in World War II.
This bill would authorize the Women Who Worked on the Home Front Foundation to establish a memorial to honor these women. The memorial is designed to be interactive and to educate visitors on the important roles women played during World War II. Between 1940 and 1945, the percentage of women in the workforce increased from 27 percent to nearly 37 percent, and by 1945 one in four married women worked outside of the home. The work done by women on the home front opened doors for women in the workplace widely and had a profound effect on the job market going forward. As a result of their efforts, millions of American women on the home front redefined ``women's work'' and paved the way for future generations.
Many women also played critical roles in support of the war effort. More than 10,000 women served behind the scenes of World War II as code breakers. Due to the classified nature of their work, they did not receive recognition for their tireless efforts until recently. Women were also trained to fly military aircraft so male pilots could leave for combat duty overseas. More than 1,100 female civilian volunteers flew nearly every type of military aircraft as part of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) program. WASP flew planes from factories to bases, transported cargo and participated in simulation strafing and target missions. These women were not given full military status until 1977, and it was not until 2010 that they were recognized with the Congressional Gold Medal.
Women have been historically underrepresented in our memorials, particularly the memorials on federal land in the nation's capital. It is fitting to authorize a memorial that would allow millions of visitors to D.C. to understand and honor the heroic efforts of these women and their lasting impact on the fabric of our society.
I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
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