A resolution designating June 12, 2021, as "Women Veterans Appreciation Day".

III 117TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. RES. 267 Designating June 12, 2021, as ‘‘Women Veterans Appreciation Day’’. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES JUNE 10, 2021 Mr. BOOKER (for himself, Mrs. BLACKBURN, Mr. BRAUN, and Ms. ROSEN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary OCTOBER 19, 2021 Committee discharged; considered and agreed to with an amended preamble RESOLUTION Designating June 12, 2021, as ‘‘Women Veterans Appreciation Day’’. Whereas, throughout every period of the history of the United States, women have proudly served the United States to secure and preserve freedom and liberty for— (1) the people of the United States; and (2) the allies of the United States; 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 since the inception of the United States military; VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:23 Oct 20, 2021 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR267.ATS SR267 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 2 •SRES 267 ATS Whereas over 3,000,000 women have served the United States honorably and with valor on land, on sea, in the air, and in space, including— (1) as ‘‘Molly Pitchers’’ during the American Revo- lution, providing support to the Continental Army and taking their place on the artillery gun lines as soldiers fell; (2) by passing as men to serve as soldiers during the Revolutionary War, the Early Republic, and the Civil War; (3) as doctors, nurses, ambulance drivers, and Sig- nal Corps telephone operator ‘‘Hello Girls’’ during World War I; (4) as, during World War II— (A) members of the Women’s Army Corps (commonly known as ‘‘WACs’’); (B) Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (commonly known as ‘‘WAVES’’); (C) members of the Coast Guard Women’s Re- serve (commonly known as ‘‘SPARS’’); (D) Women Airforce Service Pilots (commonly known as ‘‘WASPs’’); and (E) nurses; (5) as permanent members of the Army, Navy, Ma- rine Corps, and Air Force, serving as nurses, physicians, physical therapists, air traffic controllers, intelligence specialists, communications specialists, logisticians, and clerks in the Korean War and Vietnam War; and (6) as fixed and rotary wing combat pilots, surface warfare sailors, submariners, artillerists, air defenders, engineers, military police, intelligence specialists, civil af- fairs specialists, logisticians, and, most recently, in all combat roles in the Persian Gulf, Iraq, and Afghanistan; VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:23 Oct 20, 2021 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR267.ATS SR267 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 3 •SRES 267 ATS 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 and Space 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 September 2019, women constitute nearly 21 percent of personnel in the National Guard and Reserves; Whereas women have been critical to COVID–19 relief, in- cluding as part 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 nearly 2,000,000, which represents a significant increase from 713,000 women veterans in 1980; and (2) women veterans constitute approximately 10 per- cent of the total veteran population; Whereas an estimated 1 in 3 women veterans enrolled in the healthcare system of the Department of Veterans Affairs report having experienced military sexual trauma (MST) during their military service; 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 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:23 Oct 20, 2021 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR267.ATS SR267 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS 4 •SRES 267 ATS 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 Vet- erans History Project, a part of the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress, 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, 2021, as ‘‘Women Vet- erans 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 patriotic military service: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate designates June 12, 2021, 1 as ‘‘Women Veterans Appreciation Day’’ to recognize the 2 service and sacrifices of women veterans who have served 3 valiantly on behalf of the United States. 4 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:23 Oct 20, 2021 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\SR267.ATS SR267 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS