I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1773 

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 material 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 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 14, 2019 

Ms. SPEIER (for herself, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Mr. HUFFMAN, and Mr. 

DESAULNIER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committee on 

House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 

Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 

the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

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 material 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. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
2 

•HR 1773 IH

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Rosie the Riveter Con3 gressional Gold Medal Act of 2019’’. 

4 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

5 Congress finds the following: 

6 (1) Over 70 years ago there was a call to ac7 tion, a demand for workers to fill the vacancies left 

8 by the men who went to fight in the war. 

9 (2) More than 6 million women answered the 

10 call then, entering the workforce during World War 

11 II and providing the equipment, weaponry and am12 munition to achieve final victory and end the war. 

13 (3) These women left their homes to work or 

14 volunteer full-time in factories, farms, shipyards, air15 plane factories, banks, and other institutions in sup16 port of the military overseas. 

17 (4) They worked with the United Service Orga18 nizations and the American Red Cross, drove trucks, 

19 riveted airplane parts, collected critical materials, 

20 rolled bandages, and served on rationing boards. 

21 (5) Our ‘‘Rosie the Riveter’’, the women who 

22 worked and sacrificed to strengthen this country 

23 during World War II, are among the greatest living 

24 heroines in the United States. 

25 (6) These women persevered, despite often fac26 ing harassment from their male colleagues and disVerDate Sep 11 2014 04:53 Mar 29, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1773.IH H1773

kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
3 

•HR 1773 IH

1 approval from their male family members, and all 

2 the while continued to maintain their ‘‘other jobs’’ 

3 as caretakers of children and their households. 

4 (7) Minority women also overcame long-held 

5 policies of discrimination and made significant con6 tributions to the war effort. 

7 (8) Because of the ‘‘Rosies’’, Federal, State, 

8 and local agencies coordinated with business owners 

9 to develop childcare programs and other supports for 

10 working mothers. 

11 (9) The example that these women set during 

12 World War II continues to inspire us and blaze a 

13 path for the working women and young girls of 

14 today. 

15 (10) Specifically, the images of ‘‘Rosie the Riv16 eter’’ and the phrase ‘‘We Can Do It’’ continue to 

17 symbolize the empowerment of women today, rep18 resenting patriotic women who want to serve and 

19 strengthen their country, and to inspire young girls 

20 to become ‘‘21st Century Rosies’’ by aspiring to, and 

21 attaining positions of leadership in all walks of life 

22 in America. 

23 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 

24 (a) ROSIE THE RIVETER.—The term ‘‘Rosie the Riv25 eter’’ includes any female individual who held employment 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
4 

•HR 1773 IH

1 or volunteered in support of the war efforts during World 

2 War II. 

3 (b) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the 

4 Secretary of the Treasury. 

5 SEC. 4. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL. 

6 (a) AWARD AUTHORIZED.—The Speaker of the 

7 House of Representatives and the President pro tempore 

8 of the Senate shall make appropriate arrangements for the 

9 award, on behalf of Congress, of a single gold medal of 

10 appropriate design in commemoration to Rosie the Riv11 eter, collectively, in recognition of their contributions to 

12 the Nation and the inspiration they have provided to ensu13 ing generations. 

14 (b) DESIGN AND STRIKING.—For the purposes of the 

15 award referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the 

16 Treasury (referred to in this Act as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall 

17 strike the gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and 

18 inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary. 

19 (c) NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY.— 

20 (1) IN GENERAL.—Following the award of the 

21 gold medal under subsection (a), the gold medal 

22 shall be given to the National Museum of American 

23 History of the Smithsonian Institution, where it 

24 shall be available for display as appropriate and 

25 made available for research. 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
5 

•HR 1773 IH

1 (2) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of 

2 Congress that the National Museum of American 

3 History shall make the gold medal received under 

4 paragraph (1) available for display elsewhere, par5 ticularly at other appropriate locations associated 

6 with Rosie the Riveter. 

7 SEC. 5. DUPLICATE MEDALS. 

8 The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in 

9 bronze of the gold medal struck pursuant to section 4 

10 under such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, at 

11 a price sufficient to cover the cost thereof, including labor, 

12 materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses, 

13 and the cost of the gold medal. 

14 SEC. 6. STATUS OF MEDALS. 

15 (a) NATIONAL MEDALS.—The medals struck pursu16 ant to this Act are national medals for purposes of chapter 

17 51 of title 31, United States Code. 

18 (b) NUMISMATIC ITEMS.—For purposes of section 

19 5134 of title 31, United States Code, all medals struck 

20 under this Act shall be considered to be numismatic items. 

Æ 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS