[House Report 117-197]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


117th Congress    }                                     {      Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 1st Session      }                                     {     117-197

======================================================================



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

                                _______
                                

December 1, 2021.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

 Mr. Grijalva, from the Committee on Natural Resources, submitted the 
                               following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 3531]

    The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred 
the bill (H.R. 3531) to authorize the Women Who Worked on the 
Home Front Foundation to establish a commemorative work in the 
District of Columbia and its environs, and for other purposes, 
having considered the same, reports favorably thereon without 
amendment and recommends that the bill do pass.

                          PURPOSE OF THE BILL

    The purpose of H.R. 3531 is to authorize the Women Who 
Worked on the Home Front Foundation to establish a 
commemorative work in the District of Columbia and its 
environs.

                 BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION\1\
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    \1\Also see H.R. Rep. No. 116-470, at 2-3 (2020), https://
www.congress.gov/116/crpt/hrpt470/CRPT-116hrpt470.pdf--of which the 
above text is largely reproduced.
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    During World War II, women filled thousands of jobs across 
the country that were historically filled by men in order to 
allow more men to go off to war to fight for our country. As a 
result, the female percentage of the U.S. workforce increased 
from 27 percent to nearly 37 percent between 1940 and 1945, 
with nearly one out of four married women working outside the 
home by 1945.\2\ Women worked on farms and in defense plants, 
fixed cars, flew military aircraft, and filled thousands of 
other jobs previously held by men. According to the National 
World War II Museum, ``[n]early 350,000 American women served 
in uniform, both at home and abroad, volunteering for the newly 
formed Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAACs, later renamed the 
Women's Army Corps), the Navy Women's Reserve (WAVES), the 
Marine Corps Women's Reserve, the Coast Guard Women's Reserve 
(SPARS), the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPS), the Army 
Nurses Corps, and the Navy Nurse Corps. General Eisenhower felt 
that he could not win the war without the aid of the women in 
uniform.''\3\
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    \2\The Role of Women, Nat'l Mem'l to the Women Who Worked on the 
Home Front Found., https://www.whfnmf.org/projects (last visited Nov. 
30, 2021).
    \3\History at a Glance: Women in World War II, The Nat'l WWII 
Museum, https://www.nationalww2museum.org/students-teachers/student-
resources/research-starters/women-wwii (last visited Nov. 30, 2021).
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    At the end of the war, many of these women were forced out 
of their jobs as men returned home. As the National World War 
II Museum puts it, ``[t]he nation that needed their help in a 
time of crisis, it seems, was not yet ready for the greater 
social equality that would slowly come in the decades to 
follow.''\4\
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    \4\Id.
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    H.R. 3531 would authorize the Women Who Worked on the Home 
Front Foundation to establish a commemorative work on federal 
land in the District of Columbia and its environs to 
commemorate the commitment and service of the nearly 350,000 
American women who worked on the home front during World War 
II. The legislation stipulates that the work would be 
established in accordance with the Commemorative Works Act and 
without the use of federal funds. The Women Who Worked on the 
Home Front Commemorative Work was conceived of by District of 
Columbia resident Raya Kenney when she was in fifth grade.

                            COMMITTEE ACTION

    H.R. 3531 was introduced on May 25, 2021, by Representative 
Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC). The bill was referred solely to 
the Committee on Natural Resources, and within the Committee to 
the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands. 
On October 14, 2021, the Subcommittee held a hearing on the 
bill. On November 17, 2021, the Natural Resources Committee met 
to consider the bill. The Subcommittee was discharged by 
unanimous consent. No amendments were offered. The bill was 
adopted and ordered favorably reported to the House of 
Representatives by unanimous consent.

                                HEARINGS

    For the purposes of clause 3(c)(6) of House Rule XIII, the 
following hearing was used to develop or consider this measure: 
hearing by the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and 
Public Lands held on October 14, 2021.

            COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

    Regarding clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of 
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the 
Committee on Natural Resources' oversight findings and 
recommendations are reflected in the body of this report.

      COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII AND CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET ACT

    1. Cost of Legislation and the Congressional Budget Act. 
With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(2) and (3) of 
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and 
sections 308(a) and 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 
1974, the Committee has been informed by the Director of the 
Congressional Budget Office that the bill, as noticed for 
consideration under suspension of the rules, will have no 
effect on revenues and will reduce direct spending by less than 
$500,000.\5\
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    \5\CBO, Legislation Considered Under Suspension of the Rules 2 
(Nov. 29, 2021), https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2021-11/
suspensions_week_of_November_29_0.pdf.
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    The Committee has requested but not received from the 
Director of the Congressional Budget Office a statement as to 
whether this bill contains any new budget authority, spending 
authority, or credit authority. The Committee adopts as its own 
cost estimate the cost estimate of the Director of the 
Congressional Budget Office and any updates thereto, should any 
updates be made available before House passage of the bill.
    The Committee notes that CBO's analysis of H.R. 5068 
(116th), the version of the legislation from the 116th 
Congress, is available and shows the bill as having a 
negligible effect on direct spending and no effect on 
revenues.\6\
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    \6\https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2020-06/hr5068.pdf.
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    2. General Performance Goals and Objectives. As required by 
clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goals and 
objectives of this bill are to authorize the Women Who Worked 
on the Home Front Foundation to establish a commemorative work 
in the District of Columbia and its environs.

                           EARMARK STATEMENT

    This bill does not contain any Congressional earmarks, 
limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined 
under clause 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives.

                 UNFUNDED MANDATES REFORM ACT STATEMENT

    An estimate of Federal mandates prepared by the Director of 
the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 423 of the 
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act was not made available to the 
Committee in time for the filing of this report. The Chair of 
the Committee shall cause such estimate to be printed in the 
Congressional Record upon its receipt by the Committee.
    The Committee notes that CBO's analysis of H.R. 5068 
(116th), the version of the legislation from the 116th 
Congress, is available and shows the bill as not creating any 
mandates for purposes of UMRA.\7\
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    \7\Id.
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                           EXISTING PROGRAMS

    This bill does not establish or reauthorize a program of 
the federal government known to be duplicative of another 
program.

                  APPLICABILITY TO LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

    The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to 
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public 
services or accommodations within the meaning of section 
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act.

               PREEMPTION OF STATE, LOCAL, OR TRIBAL LAW

    Any preemptive effect of this bill over state, local, or 
tribal law is intended to be consistent with the bill's 
purposes and text and the Supremacy Clause of Article VI of the 
U.S. Constitution.

                        CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

    If enacted, this bill would make no changes to existing 
law.

        SUPPLEMENTAL, MINORITY, ADDITIONAL, OR DISSENTING VIEWS

    None.

                                  [all]