FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 8th, 2024
CONTACT: Raya Kenney
Congresswomen Granger and Dingell Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Place Memorial to the Working Women of WWII on the National Mall
National Memorial to the Women Who Worked on the Home Front FoundationCEO and Founder Raya Kenney applauds crucial step to place the memorial to honor the significant contributions of the working women of WWII on the National Mall.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. House Representatives Kay Granger (R-TX) and Debbie Dingell (D-MI) introduced a bipartisan bill to authorize the National Mall as the location for the memorial honoring the women who worked on the home front during World War II. The passage of the Women Who Worked on the Home Front Memorial Location Act is the next legislative step needed after Congress passed bipartisan legislation in 2022 authorizing the establishment of a memorial. Under current law, an act of Congress is required to place a commemorative work on the National Mall. This bill advances a decade-long effort to properly honor the more than 18 million trailblazing women who worked as riveters, pilots, engineers, electricians, mechanics, code breakers and more—most of which women had been previously told they were incapable of.
“The contributions of these women in both winning the war and opening doors for future generations of women merit recognition on our nation’s National Mall. Without it, the full story of WWII is missing,” said Raya Kenney, CEO and Founder of the National Memorial to the Women Who Worked on the Home Front Foundation. “We applaud the introduction of the Women Who Worked on the Home Front Memorial Location Act, and we urge Congress to swiftly pass this bill to authorize the memorial to be built within walking distance to the existing WWII memorial.”
During WWII, the percentage of women in the workforce rose to nearly 37%. The lasting labor impact of the working women of WWII is clearly demonstrated in today’s U.S. workforce, which is nearly 58% women. The National Memorial for Women Who Worked the Home Front Foundation encourages Congress to pass legislation to preserve the legacies of this diverse group of women who paved the way for future generations.
Earlier this year, President Biden issued an executive order on recognizing and honoring women’s history acknowledging the need for the country to do more to recognize how women have shaped U.S. history, including on federal lands.
“Thanks to Rep. Granger and Rep. Dingell for their commitment to preserving the stories and legacies of women who shaped American history during WWII,” said Raya Kenney. “Today marks a pivotal moment in our effort to honor their contributions.”
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About the National Memorial to the Women Who Worked the Home Front Foundation
Among the primary goals of the National Memorial to the Women Who Worked on the Home Front Foundation is to increase awareness of the vital roles women played to support our country. The Women Who Worked on the Home Front WWII Memorial Act authorizes the Women Who Worked on the Home Front Foundation to build a commemorative work on federal land in Washington, D.C. to honor the women who worked on the home front during WWII.
For updates on the memorial, visit https://wwiiwomenmemorial.org/. Media inquiries should be directed to info@whfnmf.org or homefront@rokksolutions.com.