[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 108 (Thursday, June 11, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S2937]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 616--DESIGNATING JUNE 12, 2020, AS ``WOMEN VETERANS 
                           APPRECIATION DAY''

  Mr. BOOKER (for himself, Mrs. Blackburn, Ms. Duckworth, and Mr. 
Braun) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on the Judiciary:

                              S. Res. 616

       Whereas women have formally been a part of the United 
     States Armed Forces since the establishment of the Army Nurse 
     Corps in 1901 but have informally served the United States 
     since the inception of the United States military;
       Whereas women have served the United States honorably and 
     with valor, including--
       (1) as soldiers disguised as males during the American 
     Revolution and the Civil War;
       (2) as nurses during World War I and World War II; and
       (3) as combat helicopter pilots in Afghanistan;
       Whereas, as of April 2020, women constitute approximately 
     17 percent of United States Armed Forces personnel on active 
     duty, including--
       (1) 21 percent of active duty personnel in the Air Force;
       (2) 20 percent of active duty personnel in the Navy;
       (3) 15 percent of active duty personnel in the Army;
       (4) 9 percent of active duty personnel in the Marine Corps; 
     and
       (5) 15 percent of active duty personnel in the Coast Guard;
       Whereas, as of April 2020, women constitute nearly 21 
     percent of personnel in the National Guard and Reserves;
       Whereas, as of April 2020, women comprise nearly 25 percent 
     of the personnel in the National Guard and Reserves activated 
     to support COVID-19 response efforts;
       Whereas, in 2020--
       (1) the population of women veterans reached 2,000,000, 
     which represents an exponential increase from 713,000 women 
     veterans in 1980; and
       (2) women veterans constitute more than 10 percent of the 
     total veteran population;
       Whereas the United States is proud of, and appreciates, the 
     service of all women veterans who have demonstrated great 
     skill, sacrifice, and commitment to defending the principles 
     upon which the United States was founded and which the United 
     States continues to uphold;
       Whereas women veterans have unique stories and should be 
     encouraged to share their recollections through the Veterans 
     History Project, which has worked since 2000 to collect and 
     share the personal accounts of wartime veterans in the United 
     States; and
       Whereas, by designating June 12, 2020, as ``Women Veterans 
     Appreciation Day'', the Senate can--
       (1) highlight the growing presence of women in the Armed 
     Forces and the National Guard; and
       (2) pay respect to women veterans for their dutiful 
     military service: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate designates June 12, 2020, as 
     ``Women Veterans Appreciation Day'' to recognize the service 
     and sacrifices of women veterans who have served valiantly on 
     behalf of the United States.

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