79–010

Calendar No. 891

106TH CONGRESS REPORT

2d Session " ! SENATE 106–446

ROSIE THE RIVETER/WORLD WAR II HOME FRONT NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK ESTABLISHMENT ACT OF 2000

SEPTEMBER 29, 2000.—Ordered to be printed

Filed under authority of the order of the Senate of September 28 (legislative day,

September 22), 2000

Mr. MURKOWSKI, from the Committee on Energy and Natural

Resources, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany H.R. 4063]

The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to which was

referred the Act (H.R. 4063) to establish the Rosie the Riveter/

World War II Home Front National Historical Park in the State of

California, and for other purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon with amendments and recommends that

the Act, as amended, do pass.

The amendments are as follows:

1. On page 5, beginning on line 6, revise subsection (d)(1) to read

as follows:

‘‘(d)(1) The Secretary shall require a match of not less

than 50% for the expenditure of any federal funds for the

purpose of the cooperative agreements under subsection

(b)(2). The non-federal match may be in funds or, with the

approval of the Secretary, in goods, services, or in-kind

contributions.’’.

2. On page 6, line 15, strike ‘‘interests in’’ and insert ‘‘interests

within the boundaries of the park in’’.

PURPOSE OF THE MEASURE

The purpose of H.R. 4063 is to establish Rosie the Riveter-World

War II Home Front National Historical Park in the State of California.

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BACKGROUND AND NEED

The story of World War II Home Front efforts is a significant

chapter in America’s history. The story of the cooperation of government, private industry, and the unions to mobilize the work

force, and the creation of innovative plants and production methods

designed to rapidly supply the war effort is an important story in

the history of the United States, as are the themes of life on the

Home Front and the aftermath of the war.

Richmond, California was ideally situated as a site for the Home

Front industrial buildup with a West Coast rail terminus on San

Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate opening to the Pacific Ocean.

Beginning in early 1941, four shipyards were built in rapid succession by the firm of industrialist Henry J. Kaiser. These four shipyards employed 90,000 people and built 747 ships in record time

for use by the U.S. Navy and Merchant Marine. The payroll of

these shipyards included tens of thousands of women of all ages

and backgrounds, whose labor marked an unprecedented entry into

jobs never before performed by women and played a critical role in

increasing American war productivity.

The phrase ‘‘Rosie the Riveter’’ was a propaganda term that was

coined to help recruit female civilian workers and came to symbolize a workforce that was mobilized to meet the Nation’s wartime

needs. After some initial resistance from employers, women replaced men in many traditionally male jobs to support World War

II Home Front production efforts as men enlisted in active military

service. Nationwide, six million women entered the World War II

Home Front workforce. Employment opportunities for black women

and other women of color were unprecedented, with African Americans, Asians, Hispanics, and Native Americans employed for the

first time to work side by side with whites in specialized, high-paying jobs previously unavailable to them. Rosie the Riveter has survived as the most remembered icon of the civilian workforce that

helped win World War II and has a powerful resonance in the

women’s movement.

Section 505 of Public Law 105–355 directed the Secretary of the

Interior to conduct a study to determine the feasibility of designating Rosie the Riveter Park in the city of Richmond, California

as an affiliated site of the National Park Service (NPS). In June,

2000 the NPS completed the study and determined that the site is

nationally significant and offers an exceptional opportunity to interpret the World War II Home Front experience. The study concluded that the resources at the site are suitable and feasible to

support their designation as a unit of the National Park System,

provided that the city of Richmond continues its commitment to

protection and management of key sites within and adjacent to the

proposed park boundary, and only if the role for the National Park

Service is carefully defined to include interpretive services and

technical assistance regarding preservation of the historic sites.

H.R. 4063 provides for the establishment of Rosie the RiveterWorld War II Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond,

California. The site would consist of a number of historic structures, including Shipyard #3, the Ford Assembly Building, the

Atchison Village worker housing, structures used for day care, the

Kaiser Permanente Field Hospital, a fire station, and other imporVerDate 11-MAY-2000 20:06 Sep 30, 2000 Jkt 079010 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\SR446.XXX pfrm01 PsN: SR446
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tant period structures. The majority of these structures are easily

accessed and in public ownership.

H.R. 4063 authorizes the NPS to enter into cooperative agreements which would provide for the acquisition and curation of historic artifacts and materials related to the park, and which would

provide for the interpretation of the story of the World War II

Home Front and the preservation of the properties associated with

the story. The measure authorizes the Secretary to acquire several

specific properties within the boundaries of the park, including a

leasehold interest in the Ford Assembly Building for the purpose

of operating a World War II Home Front Education Center.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

H.R. 4063 was passed by the House of Representatives by voice

vote on July 12, 2000. A similar bill, S. 2294, was introduced by

Senators Feinstein and Boxer on March 27, 2000. The Subcommittee on National Parks, Historic Preservation and Recreation

held a hearing on S. 2294 on July 13, 2000. At the business meeting on September 20, 2000, the Committee on Energy and Natural

Resources ordered H.R. 4063, as amended, favorably reported.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION

The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, in open business session on September 20, 2000, by a unanimous voice vote of

a quorum present, recommends that the Senate pass H.R. 4063, if

amended as described herein.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS

During the consideration of H.R. 4063, the Committee adopted

an amendment to make technical and clarifying changes.

SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

Section 1 designates the short title of the bill as the ‘‘Rosie the

Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park Establishment Act of 2000.’’

Section 2 establishes Rosie the River/World War II Home Front

National Historical Park (park), and defines the boundaries of the

park as those depicted on the specified map.

Section 3(a) requires the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) to

administer the park as a unit of the National Park System. The

Secretary is authorized to interpret the story of Rosie the Riveter

and the World War II Home Front theme, conduct and maintain

oral histories that relate to the theme, and provide technical assistance in the preservation of historic properties that support this

story.

Subsection (b) authorizes the Secretary to enter into cooperative

agreements with the owners of several specified properties, pursuant to which the Secretary may mark, interpret, improve, restore,

and provide technical assistance with respect to preservation and

interpretation of the properties. In addition, the Secretary is authorized to enter into cooperative agreements that are limited to interpretation and technical assistance for several other specified

properties.

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Subsection (c) authorizes the Secretary to establish an education

center in the Ford Assembly Building.

Subsection (d) requires that any Federal funds expended pursuant to a cooperative agreement be matched by an equal amount of

funds from non-Federal sources. With the approval of the Secretary, the match may be provided in the form of goods, services,

or in-kind contributions.

Subsection (e) authorizes the Secretary to acquire a leasehold interest in the Ford Assembly Building for the purpose of operating

a World War II Home Front Education Center. The Secretary is

also authorized to acquire several other properties within the

boundaries of the park, and may acquire and provide for the

curation of historic artifacts that relate to the park.

Subsection (f) authorizes the Secretary to accept donations of

funds, property, and services.

Subsection (g) requires the Secretary to prepare, in consultation

with the city of Richmond, California, a general management plan

for the park. The plan must be completed within three years of the

date that funds are made available. The general management plan

must include a plan to preserve the historic setting of the Rosie the

Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park, and

must be jointly developed and approved by the city of Richmond.

The general management plan must also determine whether there

are additional sites in Richmond that should be added to the park,

or if there are sites elsewhere in the United States that should be

linked to and interpreted at the park.

Section 4 requires the Secretary to conduct a theme study of the

World War II home front to determine whether other sites in the

United States meet the criteria for potential inclusion in the National Park System.

Section 5 authorizes the appropriation of such sums as may be

necessary to conduct oral histories and to carry out the preservation, interpretation, education, and other visitor services provided

for by this legislation, and for the acquisition of the properties listed in section 3(e)(2). In addition, the appropriation of $1,000,000 is

authorized for the acquisition and curation of artifacts related to

the park. None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this

section may be used for the operation, maintenance, or preservation of the vessel S.S. Red Oak Victory.

COST AND BUDGETARY CONSIDERATIONS

The Congressional Budget Office cost estimate report had not

been received at the time the report was filed. When the report becomes available, the Chairman will request that it be printed in

the Congressional Record for the advice of the Senate.

REGULATORY IMPACT EVALUATION

In compliance with paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of the Standing

Rules of the Senate, the Committee makes the following evaluation

of the regulatory impact which would be incurred in carrying out

H.R. 4063. The bill is not a regulatory measure in the sense of imposing Government-established standards or significant economic

responsibilities on private individuals and businesses.

No personal information would be collected in administering the

program. Therefore, there would be no impact on personal privacy.

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Little, if any, additional paperwork would result from the enactment of H.R. 4063, as ordered reported.

EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS

On July 17, 2000, the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources requested legislative reports from the Department of the

Interior and the Office of Management and Budget setting forth

Executive agency recommendations on S. 2294, a bill similar to

H.R. 4063. These reports had not been received at the time the report on H.R. 4063 was filed. When the reports become available,

the Chairman will request that they be printed in the Congressional Record for the advice of the Senate. The testimony provided

by the National Park Service at the Subcommittee hearing follows:

STATEMENT OF DENIS P. GALVIN, DEPUTY DIRECTOR,

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Thank you for the opportunity to present the position of

the Department of the Interior on S. 2294, a bill to establish the Rosie the Riverter-World War II Home Front National Historical Park in California.

The Department of the Interior supports this bill with

the amendments discussed in this testimony. A recently

completed study found that the area in Richmond, California, covered by this bill is worthy of inclusion into the

National Park System. This study was authorized under

Public Law 105–355. The study looked closely at the social

and community context of Rosie the Riveter and the World

War II home front issues and achievements, as well as the

historic fabric of the Richmond, California, shipyards. The

study has found that the collection of historic structures

and sites meets the NPS standards for national significance and are suitable and feasible to be designated a unit

of the National Park System.

During the war years photos and posters displaying the

likeness of Rosie the Riveter were everywhere. Many

showed a woman hard at work riveting nuts and bolts to

machinery needed for the war effort. Yet, although Rosie

was based on real people, she existed primarily as a symbol invented by industry, and embraced by the public, for

the idea that everyone had an important role in the war

effort.

Over 100,000 men and women, many of whom sharing

the patriotism and work ethic of the fictional Rosie the

Riveter, worked at the site that would be protected by S.

2294, helping to build the arsenal of democracy that defeated the axis powers in World War II. They served as the

engine for the nation’s largest shipbuilding program, which

produced 747 Liberty and Victory ships. They also manufactured over 60,000 tanks at the site’s Ford Assembly

Building. The infrastructure that supported these operations—one of the country’s largest public housing programs, and one of the first 24-hour day care programs in

the U.S. became models for similar development throughout the country. Kaiser Permanente, the world’s largest

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health care provider today, was created to serve the shipyard workers in Richmond. Indeed, the Kaiser Permanente

Field Hospital, and the First Aid Station at Shipyard #3,

remain intact today. Many innovative industrial processes

and employee services were initiated in Richmond during

the war years through public-private partnerships.

The World War II home front engaged Americans in a

manner that has been unequaled since. The changes to society and industry had sweeping and lasting impacts on

the nation. The change wrought by the home front in rapid

industrialization and migration and resettlement were

most significant for Pacific coast states, especially in California. The unprecedented integration of the industrial

workforce included women first and subsequently African

Americans, Hispanics and Asians, thus adding momentum

to the later women’s and civil rights movements.

The World War II home front is not yet adequately represented and interpreted in the National Park System.

Richmond represents a significant place to tell this story

and also offers an opportunity to link together World War

II home front sites across the country including places

such as Willow Run in Michigan, Boeing Field in Seattle,

and Bell Aircraft in Marietta, Georgia.

Richmond’s home front experience is nationally recognized and is well-documented. Nationally recognized World

War II home front historians and academicians have submitted letters to us supporting the designation of a World

War II Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond.

In addition, the City of Richmond fully supports national

designation and unanimously passed a resolution in support of S. 2294.

Richmond has a critical mass of intact historic structures, including Shipyard #3, the Ford Assembly Building,

the Atchinson Village worker housing, structures used for

day care, the Kaiser Permanente Field Hospital, a fire station, and other important period structures. Also intact are

the S.S. Red Oak Victory, a victory ship built at shipyard

#1, and ‘‘Whirley Cranes’’, which were used to move material between various points on the shipyard. The majority

of these structures are easily accessed and in public ownership.

S. 2294 would authorize the establishment of the Rosie

the Riveter-World War II Home Front National Historical

Park as a unit of the National Park System. The bill would

authorize the National Park Service to enter into cooperative agreements, which would provide for the acquisition

and duration of historic artifacts and materials related to

the park, and which would provide for the interpretation

of the story of the World War II home front and the preservation of properties associated with the story. S. 2294

also would authorize the Secretary to acquire a leasehold

interest in the Ford Assembly Building that would be used

as a World War II Home Front education center. Funds for

these activities in the new unit would be subject to the

availability of appropriations and NPS priorities.

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As presently drafted, S. 2294 is a good start to accomplishing the important objectives of protecting the resources on this site, and allowing the historically important home front story to be told. We do believe, however,

that some amendments to the bill are needed to more effectively preserve the resources in the park and to better

tell this important story. To this end, we would like placed

in the bill language that would require structures to be

maintained to a level that would suit their National Park

status, and language that would include within the park’s

boundary significant historic structures that are in close

proximity to the shipyard and are important to the story

of the World War II home front. We would also recommend

language that would clarify the relationship that would

exist between the National Park Service and its partners.

Language that accomplishes these goals was added to H.R.

4063, a similar House bill, and approved by the House Resources Committee on June 20, 2000. We support these

amendments and request that S. 2294 be amended to conform to the marked up version of H.R. 4063.

The preservation of this site merits a sense of urgency

for two reasons. First, the survivors who worked on the

home front are in their seventies and eighties. Our nation

benefited from their service in the war years and will be

enriched by their experiences and recollections in oral histories. Their contribution and sacrifice should be recognized in their lifetimes. Second, the strong Bay Area economy is accelerating pressures to redevelop this site, placing at risk the surviving structures and artifacts.

We look forward to working with the committee to refine

the language of the bill so that the committee can expeditiously move it forward. This concludes my testimony. I

would be happy to answer any of your questions.

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the Standing

Rules of the Senate, the Committee notes that no changes in existing law are made by the Act H.R. 4063, as ordered reported.

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