Senate Remembers “Rosies” of World War II - Women's Congressional Policy Institute

On May 17, the Senate approved, by unanimous consent, a resolution (S. Con. Res. 103) honoring the contributions of women, symbolized by “Rosie the Riveter,” who served on the home front during World War II. Sponsored by Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), the resolution calls on Americans to study, reflect on, and celebrate the stories and accomplishments of women who served the nation as “Rosies” during the war.

The resolution contains a number of findings, including:

During World War II, 6 million women stepped forward to work in home front industries to produce the ships, planes, trucks, guns, and ammunition that were crucial to achieving an Allied victory;
The need for labor in home front industries during World War II opened new employment opportunities for women from all walks of life and dramatically increased gender and racial integration in the workplace;
The service of women on the home front during World War II marked an unprecedented entry of women into jobs that had traditionally been held by men and created a lasting legacy of the ability of women to succeed in those jobs;
The needs of working mothers resulted in the creation of child care programs, leading to the lasting legacy of public acceptance of early child development and care outside the home; and The needs of women on the home front led to employer-sponsored prepaid and preventative health care never before seen in the United States.