George Miller: “I'm pleased that we are here today to consider and pass H.R. 4483, the Rosie the Riveter National Park Service…”

“I'm pleased that we are here today to consider and pass H.R. 4483, the Rosie the Riveter National Park Service Affiliated Site Study Act of 1998. The role of women in the U.S. workforce was forever changed during World War II when women throughout the country took over jobs previously held by men who went off to war. Millions of women who had never expected to find themselves working outside the home did just that in order to support their families and keep the nation's economy running through the war years. The now infamous slogan of ``We can do it'' and nicknames such as ``Rosie the Riveter'' and ``Wendy the Welder'' came to represent these women and the work they did. This legislation directs the National Park Service to study the feasibility of giving federal designation to the site of the old Kaiser shipyards in Richmond, California. Thousands of ``Rosies'' and ``Wendys'' built some 747 Liberty and Victory ships which were immediately commissioned into the U.S. Navy and sent to fight in the war from shipyards located in my district. I have had the honor of meeting and talking with many of the former shipbuilders and hearing their stories.”