HR 548

                                                 PRINTER'S NO.   3504
                THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
      HOUSE RESOLUTION
         No. 548
                                           Session of
                                             2026
INTRODUCED BY HADDOCK, GUENST, MAJOR, MIHALEK, BRENNAN, SOLOMON,
   PROBST, CONKLIN, WAXMAN, PIELLI, HAMM, VENKAT, RIVERA,
   DOUGHERTY, GALLAGHER, HOHENSTEIN, SCHWEYER, ARMANINI, HOWARD,
   JAMES, DEASY, M. MACKENZIE, T. DAVIS, O'MARA, PASHINSKI,
   VEROBISH, HILL-EVANS, STEHR, DELOZIER, MADDEN, HANBIDGE,
   BANTA, DELLOSO AND STEELE, JUNE 2, 2026
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
   PREPAREDNESS, JUNE 2, 2026
                            A RESOLUTION
1 Recognizing June 12, 2026, as "Women Veterans Day" in
2    Pennsylvania.
3    WHEREAS, Each year, June 12 is celebrated as "Women Veterans
4 Day" in recognition of the signing of the Women's Armed Services
5 Integration Act on June 12, 1948; and
6    WHEREAS, The Women's Armed Services Integration Act gave
7 women the right to serve as permanent, regular members of the
8 military; and
9    WHEREAS, Women have served many roles in the United States
10 military, even since the Revolutionary War, with the number of
11 women in service increasing during World War II and onwards due
12 to policy changes in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s; and
13    WHEREAS, Women have been able to participate in all combat
14 roles since 2015 and currently serve in every branch of the
15 military; and
1    WHEREAS, The National Center for Veterans Analysis and
2 Statistics' population model in 2023 estimated that there are
3 2.1 million women veterans, and women veterans comprise about
4 11% of the United States' veteran population; and
5    WHEREAS, According to the Governor's Advisory Council on
6 Veterans Services, Pennsylvania is home to nearly 70,000 women
7 veterans as of 2023; and
8    WHEREAS, The percentage of women veterans out of the total
9 United States veteran population is projected to increase, and
10 women are one of the fastest growing veteran demographics; and
11    WHEREAS, Women experience higher rates of military sexual
12 trauma than men, with one out of three women veterans enrolled
13 in the United States Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) having
14 reported experiencing military sexual trauma; and
15    WHEREAS, The 2023 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual
16 Report found that the suicide rate among women veterans
17 increased by 24.1% from 2020 to 2021, compared to a 6.3%
18 increase in the male veteran suicide rate during the same
19 period; and
20    WHEREAS, Women veterans are less likely than their male
21 counterparts to use their earned benefits, with only 44% of
22 women veterans enrolled to receive VA health care; and
23    WHEREAS, It is clear that women veterans face unique
24 challenges as they transition from service to civilian life; and
25    WHEREAS, These findings also demonstrate the need for trauma-
26 informed care and greater education on the resources available
27 to women veterans; and
28    WHEREAS, Nonprofit organizations and the Governor's Advisory
29 Council on Veterans Services recognize the need for more
30 research into the physical and mental health impacts of military
20260HR0548PN3504  - 2 -
1 service on women; and
2    WHEREAS, The Commonwealth has the responsibility to recognize
3 the contributions of women veterans and continue to improve
4 their access to health care, housing and other transition
5 resources; therefore be it
6    RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize June
7 12, 2026, as "Women Veterans Day" in Pennsylvania.
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