Rosie the Riveter Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2019

II 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. 892 To award a Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to the women in the United States who joined the workforce during World War II, providing the aircraft, vehicles, weaponry, ammunition, and other materials to win the war, that were referred to as ‘‘Rosie the Riveter’’, in recognition of their contributions to the United States and the inspiration they have provided to ensuing generations. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES MARCH 27, 2019 Mr. CASEY (for himself, Ms. COLLINS, and Ms. MURKOWSKI) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs A BILL To award a Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to the women in the United States who joined the workforce during World War II, providing the aircraft, vehicles, weaponry, ammunition, and other materials to win the war, that were referred to as ‘‘Rosie the Riveter’’, in recognition of their contributions to the United States and the inspiration they have provided to ensuing genera- tions. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:51 Apr 05, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S892.IS S892 pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS 2 •S 892 IS SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 1 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Rosie the Riveter Con- 2 gressional Gold Medal Act of 2019’’. 3 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 4 Congress finds the following: 5 (1) Over 70 years ago there was a call to ac- 6 tion, a demand for workers to fill the vacancies left 7 by the men who went to fight in the war. 8 (2) More than 6,000,000 women answered the 9 call then, entering the workforce during World War 10 II and providing the equipment, weaponry, and am- 11 munition to achieve final victory and end the war. 12 (3) These women left their homes to work or 13 volunteer full-time in factories, farms, shipyards, air- 14 plane factories, banks, and other institutions in sup- 15 port of the military overseas. 16 (4) They worked with the United Service Orga- 17 nizations and the American Red Cross, drove trucks, 18 riveted airplane parts, collected critical materials, 19 rolled bandages, and served on rationing boards. 20 (5) Our ‘‘Rosie the Riveter’’, the women who 21 worked and sacrificed to strengthen this country 22 during World War II, are among the greatest living 23 heroines in the United States. 24 (6) These women persevered, despite often fac- 25 ing harassment from their male colleagues and dis- 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:51 Apr 05, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S892.IS S892 pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS 3 •S 892 IS approval from their male family members, and all 1 the while continued to maintain their ‘‘other jobs’’ 2 as caretakers of children and their households. 3 (7) Minority women also overcame long-held 4 policies of discrimination and made significant con- 5 tributions to the war effort. 6 (8) Because of the ‘‘Rosies’’, Federal, State, 7 and local agencies coordinated with business owners 8 to develop child care programs and other supports 9 for working mothers. 10 (9) The example that these women set during 11 World War II continues to inspire us and blaze a 12 path for the working women of today. 13 (10) Specifically, the images of ‘‘Rosie the Riv- 14 eter’’ and the phrase ‘‘We Can Do It’’ continue to 15 symbolize the empowerment of women today, rep- 16 resenting patriotic women who want to serve and 17 strengthen their country and to inspire young girls 18 to become ‘‘21st Century Rosies’’ by aspiring to and 19 attaining positions of leadership in all walks of life 20 in the United States. 21 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 22 (a) ROSIE THE RIVETER.—The term ‘‘Rosie the Riv- 23 eter’’ includes any female individual who held employment 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:51 Apr 05, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S892.IS S892 pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS 4 •S 892 IS or volunteered in support of the war efforts during World 1 War II. 2 (b) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the 3 Secretary of the Treasury. 4 SEC. 4. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. 5 (a) AWARD AUTHORIZED.—The President pro tem- 6 pore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Rep- 7 resentatives shall make appropriate arrangements for the 8 award, on behalf of Congress, of a single gold medal of 9 appropriate design to Rosie the Riveter, collectively, in 10 recognition of their contributions to the United States and 11 the inspiration they have provided to ensuing generations. 12 (b) DESIGN AND STRIKING.—For the purpose of the 13 award referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary shall 14 strike the gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and 15 inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary. 16 (c) NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY.— 17 (1) IN GENERAL.—Following the award of the 18 gold medal in honor of Rosie the Riveter, the gold 19 medal shall be given to the National Museum of 20 American History of the Smithsonian Institution, 21 where it will be available for display as appropriate 22 and made available for research. 23 (2) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of 24 Congress that the National Museum of American 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:51 Apr 05, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S892.IS S892 pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS 5 •S 892 IS History should make the gold medal received under 1 paragraph (1) available for display elsewhere, par- 2 ticularly at other appropriate locations associated 3 with Rosie the Riveter. 4 SEC. 5. DUPLICATE MEDALS. 5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Under such regulations as the 6 Secretary may prescribe, the Secretary may strike and sell 7 duplicates in bronze of the gold medal struck under sec- 8 tion 4, at a price sufficient to cover the costs of the med- 9 als, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and 10 overhead expenses. 11 (b) PROCEEDS.—Amounts received from the sale of 12 the duplicates under subsection (a) shall be deposited in 13 the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund estab- 14 lished under section 5136 of title 31, United States Code. 15 SEC. 6. STATUS OF MEDALS. 16 (a) NATIONAL MEDALS.—Medals struck under this 17 Act are national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 18 31, United States Code. 19 (b) NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For purposes of section 20 5134 of title 31, United States Code, all medals struck 21 under this Act shall be considered to be numismatic items. 22 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:51 Apr 05, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\S892.IS S892 pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS