[House Report 116-470]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
116th Congress } { Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session } { 116-470
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WOMEN WHO WORKED ON THE HOME FRONT WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL ACT
_______
August 7, 2020.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Grijalva, from the Committee on Natural Resources, submitted the
following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 5068]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Natural Resources, to whom was referred
the bill (H.R. 5068) to authorize the Women Who Worked on the
Home Front Foundation to establish a commemorative work in the
District of Columbia and its environs, and for other purposes,
having considered the same, reports favorably thereon with an
amendment and recommends that the bill as amended do pass.
The amendment is as follows:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Women Who Worked on the Home Front
World War II Memorial Act''.
SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION TO ESTABLISH COMMEMORATIVE WORK.
(a) In General.--The Women Who Worked on the Home Front Foundation
may establish a commemorative work on Federal land in the District of
Columbia and its environs to commemorate the commitment and service
represented by women who worked on the home front during World War II.
(b) Compliance With Standards for Commemorative Works.--The
establishment of the commemorative work under this section shall be in
accordance with chapter 89 of title 40, United States Code (commonly
known as the ``Commemorative Works Act'').
(c) Prohibition on the Use of Federal Funds.--
(1) In general.--Federal funds may not be used to pay any
expense of the establishment of the commemorative work under
this section.
(2) Responsibility of women who worked on the home front
foundation.--The Women Who Worked on the Home Front Foundation
shall be solely responsible for acceptance of contributions
for, and payment of the expenses of, the establishment of the
commemorative work under this section.
(d) Deposit of Excess Funds.--
(1) In general.--If upon payment of all expenses for the
establishment of the memorial (including the maintenance and
preservation amount required by section 8906(b)(1) of title 40,
United States Code), there remains a balance of funds received
for the establishment of the commemorative work, the Women Who
Worked on the Home Front Foundation shall transmit the amount
of the balance to the Secretary of the Interior for deposit in
the account provided for in section 8906(b)(3) of title 40,
United States Code.
(2) On expiration of authority.--If upon expiration of the
authority for the commemorative work under section 8903(e) of
title 40, United States Code, there remains a balance of funds
received for the establishment of the commemorative work, the
Women Who Worked on the Home Front Foundation shall transmit
the amount of the balance to a separate account with the
National Park Foundation for memorials, to be available to the
Secretary of the Interior or Administrator (as appropriate)
following the process provided in section 8906(b)(4) of title
40, United States Code, for accounts established under section
8906(b)(2) or (3) of title 40, United States Code.
PURPOSE OF THE BILL
The purpose of H.R. 5068 is to authorize the Women Who
Worked on the Home Front Foundation to establish a
commemorative work in the District of Columbia and its
environs, and for other purposes.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
During World War II, women filled thousands of jobs across
the country that were historically filled by men in order to
allow more men to go off to war to fight for our country. As a
result, the female percentage of the U.S. workforce increased
from 27 percent to nearly 37 percent between 1940 and 1945,
with nearly one out of four married women working outside the
home by 1945.\1\ Women worked on farms and in defense plants,
fixed cars, flew military aircraft, and filled thousands of
other jobs previously held by men. According to the National
World War II Museum, ``[n]early 350,000 American women served
in uniform, both at home and abroad, volunteering for the newly
formed Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAACs, later renamed the
Women's Army Corps), the Navy Women's Reserve (WAVES), the
Marine Corps Women's Reserve, the Coast Guard Women's Reserve
(SPARS), the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPS), the Army
Nurses Corps, and the Navy Nurse Corps. General Eisenhower felt
that he could not win the war without the aid of the women in
uniform.''\2\
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\1\The Role of Women, Nat'l Mem'l to the Women Who Worked on the
Home Front Found., https://www.whfnmf.org/projects (last visited May 7,
2020).
\2\History at a Glance: Women in World War II, The Nat'l WWII
Museum, https://www.nationalww2museum.org/students-teachers/student-
resources/research-starters/women-wwii (last visited May 7, 2020).
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At the end of the war, many of these women were forced out
of their jobs as men returned home. As the National World War
II Museum puts it, ``[t]he nation that needed their help in a
time of crisis, it seems, was not yet ready for the greater
social equality that would slowly come in the decades to
follow.''\3\
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\3\Id.
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H.R. 5068 would authorize the Women Who Worked on the Home
Front Foundation to establish a commemorative work on federal
land in the District of Columbia and its environs to
commemorate the commitment and service of the nearly 350,000
American women who worked on the home front during World War
II. The legislation stipulates that the work would be
established in accordance with the Commemorative Works Act and
without the use of federal funds. The Women Who Worked on the
Home Front Commemorative Work was conceived of by District of
Columbia resident Raya Kenney when she was in fifth grade; Ms.
Kenney is now a high school senior.
COMMITTEE ACTION
H.R. 5068 was introduced on November 13, 2019, by
Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC). The bill was
referred solely to the Committee on Natural Resources, and
within the Committee to the Subcommittee on National Parks,
Forests, and Public Lands. On December 4, 2019, the
Subcommittee held a hearing on the bill. On March 11, 2020, the
Natural Resources Committee met to consider the bill. The
Subcommittee was discharged by unanimous consent. Chair Raul M.
Grijalva (D-AZ) offered an amendment in the nature of a
substitute. The amendment was agreed to by unanimous consent.
The bill, as amended, was adopted and ordered favorably
reported to the House of Representatives by unanimous consent.
HEARINGS
For the purposes of section 103(i) of H. Res. 6 of the
116th Congress--the following hearing was used to develop or
consider H.R. 5068: legislative hearing by the Subcommittee on
National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands held on December 4,
2019.
COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Regarding clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the
Committee on Natural Resources' oversight findings and
recommendations are reflected in the body of this report.
COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII AND CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET ACT
1. Cost of Legislation and the Congressional Budget Act.
With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(2) and (3) of
Rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and
sections 308(a) and 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of
1974, the Committee has received the following estimate for the
bill from the Director of the Congressional Budget Office:
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, June 5, 2020.
Hon. Raul M. Grijalva,
Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman, The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 5068, the Women
Who Worked on the Home Front World War II Memorial Act.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is David Hughes.
Sincerely,
Phillip L. Swagel,
Director.
Enclosure.
H.R. 5068 would authorize the nonprofit Women Who Worked on
the Home Front Foundation to establish a commemorative work in
or near Washington, D.C. The bill would prohibit the use of
federal funds to establish the memorial.
The project would be subject to the provisions of the
Commemorative Works Act. Under that act, any entity that
receives a construction permit for a commemorative work must
donate an amount equal to 10 percent of the memorial's
estimated construction costs to the National Park Foundation, a
nonprofit organization whose subsequent donations to the
National Park Service are recorded on the budget. That donation
and any project funds remaining after construction would be
available for maintenance of the memorial without further
appropriation.
Based on the experience from similar projects, CBO expects
that any amounts collected by the federal government for
maintenance of the monument would not be received for several
years and would be offset by expenditures soon thereafter.
Thus, CBO estimates that the bill's net effect on direct
spending would be negligible.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is David Hughes.
The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy
Director of Budget Analysis.
2. General Performance Goals and Objectives. As required by
clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goals and
objectives of this bill are to authorize the Women Who Worked
on the Home Front Foundation to establish a commemorative work
in the District of Columbia and its environs.
EARMARK STATEMENT
This bill does not contain any Congressional earmarks,
limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined
under clause 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI of the Rules of
the House of Representatives.
UNFUNDED MANDATES REFORM ACT STATEMENT
This bill contains no unfunded mandates.
EXISTING PROGRAMS
This bill does not establish or reauthorize a program of
the federal government known to be duplicative of another
program.
APPLICABILITY TO LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public
services or accommodations within the meaning of section
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act.
PREEMPTION OF STATE, LOCAL, OR TRIBAL LAW
Any preemptive effect of this bill over state, local, or
tribal law is intended to be consistent with the bill's
purposes and text and the Supremacy Clause of Article VI of the
U.S. Constitution.
CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW
If enacted, this bill would make no changes to existing
law.
SUPPLEMENTAL, MINORITY, ADDITIONAL, OR DISSENTING VIEWS
None.