Dianne Feinstein: “I am proud to introduce this bill today to establish the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historic…”

“I am proud to introduce this bill today to establish the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historic Park. This park will be constructed on the former site of Richmond Kaiser Shipyard #2 which produced WWII ships at the site of the present-day Marina Park in Richmond California. The Home Front industrial buildup in Richmond, California and across America to strengthen U.S. military capability and eventually win World War II started in early 1941 with the Lend Lease Program. Employment at the Richmond Shipyards peaked at 90,000 and forced an unprecedented integration of workers into the nation's work force. "Rosie the Riveter" was a term coined to help recruit female civilian workers and came to symbolize a workforce mobilized to fill the gap created by working men who left their jobs for active military duty. Nationwide, six million women entered the WWII Home Front workforce, which also provided unprecedented opportunities for minorities. I am proud to offer this legislation to commemorate these invaluable contributions to the U.S. victory in World War II, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.”