IntroducedIntroduced Jun 12, 2025

S.RES. 276: A resolution designating June 12, 2025, as "Women Veterans Appreciation Day".

This legislation was introduced in the on 2025-06-12. It currently has a status of Introduced.

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AI Short Summary

This resolution designates June 12, 2025, as "Women Veterans Appreciation Day" to recognize and honor the service, sacrifices, and historic contributions of women in the United States Armed Forces.

Commemorations Defense

Sponsors

Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN]

Primary Sponsor (R-TN)

This resolution designates June 12, 2025, as "Women Veterans Appreciation Day" to honor and recognize the historical contributions, sacrifices, and ongoing service of women in the United States Armed Forces.

Summary: S. Res. 276 is a bipartisan Senate resolution introduced to formally designate June 12, 2025, as "Women Veterans Appreciation Day." The resolution highlights the growing role of women in the military, honors the historical achievements of the more than 3 million women who have served throughout U.S. history, and draws attention to both the contributions and the unique challenges faced by female veterans.

Key Provisions:

Official Designation: Formally designates June 12, 2025, as "Women Veterans Appreciation Day" to recognize the service and sacrifices of women veterans.
Historical Recognition: Outlines the history of women in the military, from informal roles in the American Revolution to the formal creation of the Army Nurse Corps in 1901, the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act of 1948, and modern combat deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Demographic Awareness: Highlights that women make up approximately 18% of active-duty personnel and 22% of the National Guard and Reserves (as of 2023). It also notes that women are the fastest-growing group in the veteran population, numbering approximately 2.1 million in 2024 (12% of the total veteran population).
Military Sexual Trauma (MST) Acknowledgment: Expressly notes that an estimated 1 in 3 women veterans enrolled in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare system report experiencing military sexual trauma during their service.
Preserving Women's Veteran History: Encourages women veterans to record and preserve their experiences through the Veterans History Project at the Library of Congress.

Impact Analysis:

Legal and Legislative Impact: As a simple Senate resolution, this measure does not have the force of law, does not appropriate federal funds, and does not mandate changes to existing federal programs. It functions as a formal expression of the Senate's appreciation and recognition.
Social and Community Impact: The resolution serves to increase public awareness and appreciation of female veterans, who have historically been underrepresented in military commemorations.
Advocacy and Policy Influence: By explicitly highlighting that 1 in 3 female veterans in the VA system report experiencing military sexual trauma, the resolution keeps this critical issue on the legislative radar, potentially influencing future funding and policy decisions related to VA healthcare and specialized support services for women.

Co-Sponsors (5)

Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]

Co-Sponsor (D-NJ)

Sen. Boozman, John [R-AR]

Co-Sponsor (R-AR)

Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME]

Co-Sponsor (R-ME)

Sen. Rosen, Jacky [D-NV]

Co-Sponsor (D-NV)

Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]

Co-Sponsor (D-NH)

Bill Rendering

119 SRES 276 IS: Designating June 12, 2025, as “Women Veterans Appreciation Day”.U.S. Senate2025-06-12text/xmlENPursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

III

119th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. RES. 276

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

June 12, 2025 Mrs. Blackburn (for herself, Mr. Booker, Mr. Boozman, Ms. Collins, Ms. Rosen, and Mrs. Shaheen) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

RESOLUTION

Designating June 12, 2025, as “Women Veterans Appreciation Day”.

Whereas, throughout every period of the history of the United States, women have proudly served the United States to secure and preserve freedom and liberty for—

(1)

the people of the United States; and

(2)

the allies of the United States;

Whereas women have formally been a part of the Armed Forces since the establishment of the Army Nurse Corps in 1901 but have informally served since the inception of the United States military;

Whereas 2023 marked the 75th anniversary of the signing of the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act of 1948 (62 Stat. 356, chapter 449), legally allowing women to serve in all 4 branches of the military;

Whereas more than 3,000,000 women have served the United States honorably and with valor on land, on sea, in the air, and in space, including—

(1)

as "Molly Pitchers" during the American Revolution, providing support to the Continental Army and taking their place on the artillery gun lines as soldiers fell;

(2)

by passing as men to serve as soldiers during the Revolutionary War, the Early Republic, and the Civil War;

(3)

as doctors, nurses, ambulance drivers, and Signal Corps telephone operator "Hello Girls" during World War I;

(4)

during World War II—

(A)

as members of the Women's Army Corps (commonly known as "WACs");

(B)

as Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (commonly known as "WAVES");

(C)

as members of the Coast Guard Women's Reserve (commonly known as "SPARS");

(D)

as Women Airforce Service Pilots (commonly known as "WASPs"); and

(E)

as nurses;

(5)

as permanent members of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force, serving as nurses, physicians, physical therapists, air traffic controllers, intelligence specialists, communications specialists, logisticians, and clerks during the Korean War and Vietnam War; and

(6)

as fixed and rotary wing combat pilots, surface warfare sailors, submariners, artillerists, air defenders, engineers, military police, intelligence specialists, civil affairs specialists, logisticians, and, most recently, in all combat roles in the Persian Gulf, Iraq, and Afghanistan;

Whereas, as of 2023, women constitute approximately 18 percent of Armed Forces personnel on active duty, including—

(1)

22 percent of active duty personnel in the Air Force;

(2)

21 percent of active duty personnel in the Navy;

(3)

16 percent of active duty personnel in the Army;

(4)

10 percent of active duty personnel in the Marine Corps;

(5)

16 percent of active duty personnel in the Coast Guard; and

(6)

19 percent of active duty personnel in the Space Force;

Whereas, as of 2023, women constitute 22 percent of personnel in the National Guard and Reserves;

Whereas women were critical to COVID–19 relief, including as part of the personnel in the National Guard and Reserves activated to support COVID–19 response efforts;

Whereas women have been critical to responding to the unjustified invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation, including as members of the National Guard and as active duty personnel in the Armed Forces who have been deployed to contribute to foreign assistance efforts;

Whereas 13 members of the Armed Forces, including 2 women, were killed during Operation Allies Refuge, in which more than 120,000 people were evacuated in the largest civilian airlift in the history of the United States;

Whereas, in 2024—

(1)

the population of women veterans was approximately 2,100,000, which represents a significant increase from 1,100,000 women veterans in 1980; and

(2)

women veterans constituted approximately 12 percent of the total veteran population;

Whereas women are the fastest growing group in the veteran population;

Whereas an estimated 1 in 3 women veterans enrolled in the healthcare system of the Department of Veterans Affairs report having experienced military sexual trauma during their military service;

Whereas the people of the United States are proud of and appreciate the service of all women veterans, who have demonstrated great skill, sacrifice, and commitment to defending the principles upon which the United States was founded and which the United States continues to uphold;

Whereas women veterans have unique stories and should be encouraged to share their recollections through the Veterans History Project, a part of the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress, which has worked since 2000 to collect and share the personal accounts of wartime veterans in the United States; and

Whereas, by designating June 12, 2025, as "Women Veterans Appreciation Day", the Senate can—

(1)

highlight the growing presence of women in the Armed Forces and the National Guard; and

(2)

pay respect to women veterans for their patriotic military service: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate designates June 12, 2025, as "Women Veterans Appreciation Day" to recognize the service and sacrifices of women veterans who have served valiantly on behalf of the United States.

Official Source

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