[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1773 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1773

To award a Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to the women in the 
 United States who joined the workforce during World War II, providing 
the aircraft, vehicles, weaponry, ammunition and other material to win 
the war, that were referred to as ``Rosie the Riveter'', in recognition 
 of their contributions to the United States and the inspiration they 
                 have provided to ensuing generations.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 14, 2019

    Ms. Speier (for herself, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Huffman, and Mr. 
 DeSaulnier) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
 Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committee on 
House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
  Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To award a Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to the women in the 
 United States who joined the workforce during World War II, providing 
the aircraft, vehicles, weaponry, ammunition and other material to win 
the war, that were referred to as ``Rosie the Riveter'', in recognition 
 of their contributions to the United States and the inspiration they 
                 have provided to ensuing generations.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Rosie the Riveter Congressional Gold 
Medal Act of 2019''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Over 70 years ago there was a call to action, a demand 
        for workers to fill the vacancies left by the men who went to 
        fight in the war.
            (2) More than 6 million women answered the call then, 
        entering the workforce during World War II and providing the 
        equipment, weaponry and ammunition to achieve final victory and 
        end the war.
            (3) These women left their homes to work or volunteer full-
        time in factories, farms, shipyards, airplane factories, banks, 
        and other institutions in support of the military overseas.
            (4) They worked with the United Service Organizations and 
        the American Red Cross, drove trucks, riveted airplane parts, 
        collected critical materials, rolled bandages, and served on 
        rationing boards.
            (5) Our ``Rosie the Riveter'', the women who worked and 
        sacrificed to strengthen this country during World War II, are 
        among the greatest living heroines in the United States.
            (6) These women persevered, despite often facing harassment 
        from their male colleagues and disapproval from their male 
        family members, and all the while continued to maintain their 
        ``other jobs'' as caretakers of children and their households.
            (7) Minority women also overcame long-held policies of 
        discrimination and made significant contributions to the war 
        effort.
            (8) Because of the ``Rosies'', Federal, State, and local 
        agencies coordinated with business owners to develop childcare 
        programs and other supports for working mothers.
            (9) The example that these women set during World War II 
        continues to inspire us and blaze a path for the working women 
        and young girls of today.
            (10) Specifically, the images of ``Rosie the Riveter'' and 
        the phrase ``We Can Do It'' continue to symbolize the 
        empowerment of women today, representing patriotic women who 
        want to serve and strengthen their country, and to inspire 
        young girls to become ``21st Century Rosies'' by aspiring to, 
        and attaining positions of leadership in all walks of life in 
        America.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    (a) Rosie the Riveter.--The term ``Rosie the Riveter'' includes any 
female individual who held employment or volunteered in support of the 
war efforts during World War II.
    (b) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of the 
Treasury.

SEC. 4. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.

    (a) Award Authorized.--The Speaker of the House of Representatives 
and the President pro tempore of the Senate shall make appropriate 
arrangements for the award, on behalf of Congress, of a single gold 
medal of appropriate design in commemoration to Rosie the Riveter, 
collectively, in recognition of their contributions to the Nation and 
the inspiration they have provided to ensuing generations.
    (b) Design and Striking.--For the purposes of the award referred to 
in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (referred to in this 
Act as the ``Secretary'') shall strike the gold medal with suitable 
emblems, devices, and inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary.
    (c) National Museum of American History.--
            (1) In general.--Following the award of the gold medal 
        under subsection (a), the gold medal shall be given to the 
        National Museum of American History of the Smithsonian 
        Institution, where it shall be available for display as 
        appropriate and made available for research.
            (2) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
        the National Museum of American History shall make the gold 
        medal received under paragraph (1) available for display 
        elsewhere, particularly at other appropriate locations 
        associated with Rosie the Riveter.

SEC. 5. DUPLICATE MEDALS.

    The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold 
medal struck pursuant to section 4 under such regulations as the 
Secretary may prescribe, at a price sufficient to cover the cost 
thereof, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and 
overhead expenses, and the cost of the gold medal.

SEC. 6. STATUS OF MEDALS.

    (a) National Medals.--The medals struck pursuant to this Act are 
national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States 
Code.
    (b) Numismatic Items.--For purposes of section 5134 of title 31, 
United States Code, all medals struck under this Act shall be 
considered to be numismatic items.
                                 <all>