[House Report 119-284]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
119th Congress } { Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1st Session } { 119-284
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WORLD WAR II WOMEN'S MEMORIAL LOCATION ACT
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September 15, 2025.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on
the State of the Union and ordered to be printed
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Mr. Westerman, from the Committee on Natural Resources,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 2290]
The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred
the bill (H.R. 2290) to provide that the memorial to
commemorate the sacrifice and service of the women who worked
on the home front to support the efforts of the United States
military during World War II may be located on the National
Mall, and for other purposes, having considered the same,
reports favorably thereon with an amendment and recommends that
the bill as amended do pass.
The amendment is as follows:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``World War II Women's Memorial Location
Act''.
SEC. 2. LOCATION OF COMMEMORATIVE WORK.
Notwithstanding section 8908(c) of title 40, United States Code, the
commemorative work to commemorate the commitment and service of the
women who worked on the home front during World War II authorized by
section 702 of division DD of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023
(40 U.S.C. 8903 note; Public Law 117-328), may be located within--
(1) Area I, as depicted on the map entitled ``Commemorative
Areas Washington, DC and Environs'', numbered 869/86501 B, and
dated June 24, 2003; or
(2) the Reserve.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act, the term ``Reserve'' has the meaning given such term in
section 8902(a)(3) of title 40, United States Code.
PURPOSE OF THE LEGISLATION
The purpose of H.R. 2290 is to provide that the memorial to
commemorate the sacrifice and service of the women who worked
on the home front to support the efforts of the United States
military during World War II may be located on the National
Mall, and for other purposes.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
Under the Commemorative Works Act (CWA), any new monument
or memorial in the District of Columbia or the surrounding area
must be approved by an Act of Congress.\1\ Once a commemorative
work is approved, a private organization will typically have
seven years to raise the required funding for the work's
construction and design. The CWA also established the
``Reserve,'' which broadly encompasses what is known as the
National Mall. The CWA found that the Reserve was ``a
substantially completed work of civic art'' where the siting of
new commemorative works should be prohibited.\2\ Placing a new
commemorative work in the Reserve, or in specified land near
the Reserve (``Area I''), requires an additional Act of
Congress. While such acts are somewhat rare, Congress recently
authorized locations within the Reserve for the Global War on
Terrorism Memorial in 2021 and for the Women's Suffrage
Monument in 2025.\3\
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\1\40 U.S.C. 8901-8909.
\2\Id.
\3\Sec. 6605, Public Law No: 117-81. Public Law No: 118-226.
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In 2023, Congress authorized the Women Who Worked on the
Home Front Foundation (Foundation) to establish a commemorative
work (Memorial) on federal land in Washington, D.C., or its
environs, honoring ``the commitment and service represented by
women who worked on the home front during World War II.''\4\
During that conflict, more than 18 million women, across every
sector of American society, contributed to the war effort.\5\
While the iconic image of ``Rosie the Riveter'' symbolized
women working in industrial jobs, the broader story includes
women who became welders, pilots, codebreakers, fundraisers,
medical professionals, truck drivers, and community
caretakers.\6\ Their collective labor and service played a
critical role in the Allied victory and permanently reshaped
women's roles in the workforce and public life.\7\ The 2023
legislation required the Foundation to follow the standard
legal framework established by the CWA and prohibited the use
of federal funds for the commemorative work.\8\
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\4\Section 702 of Division DD of the Consolidated Appropriations
Act, 2023 (40 U.S.C. 8903 note; Public Law 117-328).
\5\``Women in World War II,'' National Park Service, https://
www.nps.gov/articles/000/women-in-world-war-ii.htm.
\6\Id.
\7\Id.
\8\Id.
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H.R. 2290, the ``World War II Women's Memorial Location
Act,'' authorizes the placement of the Memorial in either the
``Reserve'' or ``Area I.'' Under the CWA, this additional
legislation is necessary for the commemorative work to be
placed on or near the National Mall. By authorizing the
placement of this Memorial in a place of prominence, H.R. 2290
affirms the national significance of women who worked on the
home front and ensures that they are recognized alongside
existing monuments to wartime service. H.R. 2290 is a
bipartisan bill co-led by Representative Fulcher (R-ID-01).
Senators Shaheen (D-NH) and Blackburn (R-TN) are leading
companion legislation in the Senate.\9\
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\9\S. 1088, 119th Congress, https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-
congress/senate-bill/1088.
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COMMITTEE ACTION
H.R. 2290 was introduced on March 24, 2025, by
Representative Debbie Dingell (D-MI). The bill was referred to
the Committee on Natural Resources, and within the Committee to
the Subcommittee on Federal Lands. On July 16, 2025, the
Subcommittee on Federal Lands held a hearing on the bill. On
July 23, 2025, the Committee on Natural Resources met to
consider the bill. The Subcommittee on Federal Lands was
discharged from further consideration of H.R. 2290 by unanimous
consent. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) offered an amendment
designated Dingell #1. The amendment was agreed to by unanimous
consent. The bill, as amended, was 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 Federal Lands held on July 16,
2025.
SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS
Section 1. Short title
Section 1 names the legislation the ``World War II Women's
Memorial Location Act.''
Section 2. Location of commemorative work
Section 2 authorizes the commemorative work established by
Public Law 117-328, which commemorates the commitment and
service of the women who worked on the home front during World
War II, to be located within ``Area I'' or the ``Reserve'' in
Washington, D.C.
Section 3. Definitions
Section 3 defines the term ``Reserve'' to be the same as
such term is defined under the Commemorative Works Act.\10\
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\10\Id.
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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.
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(2) of House rule XIII and section
308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, and pursuant to
clause 3(c)(3) of House rule XIII and section 402 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has requested
but not received from the Director of the Congressional Budget
Office a budgetary analysis and a cost estimate of this bill.
2. General Performance Goals and Objectives. As required by
clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goal or
objective of this bill is to provide that the memorial to
commemorate the sacrifice and service of the women who worked
on the home front to support the efforts of the United States
military during World War II may be located on the National
Mall, and for other purposes.
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, if such
estimate is not publicly available on the Congressional Budget
Office website.
EXISTING PROGRAMS
Directed Rule Making. This bill does not contain any
directed rule makings.
Duplication of Existing Programs. This bill does not
establish or reauthorize a program of the federal government
known to be duplicative of another program. Such program was
not included in any report from the Government Accountability
Office to Congress pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111-139
or identified in the most recent Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance published pursuant to the Federal Program
Information Act (Public Law 95-220, as amended by Public Law
98-169) as relating to other programs.
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
As ordered reported by the Committee on Natural Resources,
H.R. 2290 would make no changes in existing law.
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