Washington, D.C. – As we enter Women’s History Month, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), alongside a bipartisan group of his colleagues, introduced a resolution to designate March 21, 2018 as “National Rosie the Riveter Day,” a day of recognition for the millions of woman who worked to support the national effort during WWII.
“We must honor the millions of women who helped support our troops during WWII,” said Senator Casey. “ Whether working on assembly lines, addressing our troops medical needs or tending to ships and farms, ‘Rosies’ played an invaluable role in our nation’s efforts during the war. As we begin Women’s History Month celebrations, I urge my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to these American patriots.”
Casey was joined by a number of his colleagues, including U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chris Coons (D-DE) and Johnny Isakson (R-GA). A companion resolution was introduced in the House of Representatives by U.S. Representatives Jared Huffman (D-CA-02), Jackie Speier (D-CA-14), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-08) and Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA-11).
The percent of women in the workforce jumped from 27% to nearly 37% between 1940 and 1945.By the end of the war, nearly one out of every four married women worked outside the home. These ‘Rosie the Riveters’ took positions across various industries, but the aviation industry saw the biggest increase of female workers – with more than 310,000 working in the aircraft industry in 1943, representing 65% of its workforce.
The full text of the resolution is below:
Expressing support for the designation of March 21, 2018 as ‘‘National Rosie the Riveter Day’’.
Whereas National Rosie the Riveter Day is a collective national effort to raise awareness of the 16,000,000 women who worked during World War II;
Whereas the people of the United States have chosen to honor women workers who contributed from the home front during World War II;
Whereas those women left their homes to work or volunteer full-time in factories, farms, shipyards, airplane factories, banks, and other institutions in support of the Armed Forces overseas;
Whereas those women 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;
Whereas it is fitting and proper to recognize and preserve the history and legacy of working women, including volunteer women, during World War II to promote cooperation and fellowship among those women and their descendants;
Whereas those women and their descendants wish to further the advancement of patriotic ideas, excellence in the workplace, and loyalty to the United States; and
Whereas March 21, 2018, during Women’s History Month, is an appropriate day to designate as ‘‘National Rosie the Riveter Day’’: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That Congress—
(1) supports the designation of March 21, 2018 as ‘‘National Rosie the Riveter Day’’; and
(2) acknowledges the important role played by women during World War II.
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