[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 91 (Tuesday, May 25, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E571-E572]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  INTRODUCTION OF THE WOMEN WHO WORKED ON THE HOME FRONT WORLD WAR II 
                              MEMORIAL ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 25, 2021

  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.

[[Page E572]]

  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.

                          ____________________