Join the effort to secure a Congressional Gold Medal for America's First Women Soldiers -- the U.S. Army Women Telephone Operators (""Hello Girls") of World War I! » Learn more.

To make this happen, we need the support of both the Senate and the House. We are close in the Senate, but we now need 290 Congressional Representatives to co-sponsor House Resolution (HR) 1572. (We have 96 as of 4/17/2024 - nearly a third of our goal!).

How you can help:

  1. If necessary, look up your Congressional District and Representative here (opens new tab/window)
  2. Then use the menus below to find whether your Representative has signed on as a co-sponsor.
  3. If they are not yet a co-sponsor, email, call or visit them, using the provided information!
State:

District:

Reach out to Representative today!

(Click one... or try all three!)

EMAIL (Good!)

The easiest way to help is by sending your Representative an email asking them to support this legislation.

» Your representative's email form
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See below for a sample email that you can use; modify it as appropriate!

* * *

Dear Representative :

I am writing to ask you to co-sponsor HR1572: The Hello Girls Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2023. This bill will honor the U.S. Army's Women Telephone Operators (known as the "Hello Girls") who were America's first Women Soldiers.

These 233 Signal Corps operators deployed overseas into the war zone. Some of them even served in direct support of combat operations, coordinating infantry attacks and artillery barrages while within range of enemy air raids and shelling. During the war, they connected millions of calls, helping secure our final victory.

These women not only opened the door for today's military women; they helped to finally secure passage of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote. Yet despite these contributions, they were not even recognized as veterans until 1977, after most of them had already passed away.

[ADD A PERSONAL COMMENT HERE! As a veteran / woman veteran / woman voter / father with daughters / patriotic American / etc, this bill is important to me because...]

This bill does not require any funding. It has the support of the American Legion, VFW, and other veteran organizations. The companion bill on the Senate side is already close to securing the required number of co-sponsors. I encourage you to join the dozens of House representatives who have already signed on to HR1572.

With your support, our nation can redress the injustice suffered by these courageous, patriotic women, and send a clear message to Americans everywhere that we will always honor and remember those women who have served and sacrificed on behalf of our country.

Sincerely,

[YOUR NAME]

CALL (Better!)

Calling your representative has even more impact than sending an email!

» Find phone numbers for your Representative
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How to make an effective call:

  • Before the call, review the information sheet (download it here) and gather your thoughts.
  • When you call, tell the person who answers the phone that you are a constituent, and that you are calling regarding legislation you would like your Representative to co-sponsor.
  • Provide the following information:
    • You would like your Representative to co-sponsor House Resolution 1572 - the Hello Girls Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2023
    • This bill does not involve any funding.
    • This bill will honor America's first Women Soldiers, who were the U.S. Army Telephone operators who deployed overseas during World War I.
    • These women opened the door for future generations of women in the military. Also, their service was a major reason that the 19th Amendment was finally passed after World War I, giving women the right to vote.
    • After the war, these women were not recognized as veterans for nearly six decades; awarding them a Congressional Gold Medal would help redress this injustice.
    • Tell them why this bill is important to you, as a veteran / woman veteran / woman voter / father with daughters / patriotic American / etc...
    • Thank the person for their time!

VISIT (Best!)

The most impactful way you can help is by visiting one your Congressional Representative's offices, either in your district or in Washington, D.C.

» Find offices & phone numbers
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We recommend that you call or email their office in advance, and ask to meet with the staff member in charge of Veterans Affairs or Constituent Affairs. You can always just drop in during business hours, but your results may vary.

NOTE: You can try to set up a meeting with your Representative, but be aware that this may take a while, depending on their schedule. It's better to meet with a staff member sooner, than to try to get a meeting later on.

Before your visit, download and print out this flyer and this information sheet. Bring them both with you.

Gather your thoughts and be prepared to talk about the following key points:

  • You would like your Representative to co-sponsor House Resolution 1572 - the Hello Girls Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2023
  • This bill does not involve any funding.
  • This bill will honor America's first Women Soldiers, who were the U.S. Army Telephone operators who deployed overseas during World War I.
  • These women opened the door for future generations of women in the military. Also, their service was a major reason that the 19th Amendment was finally passed after World War I, giving women the right to vote.
  • After the war, these women were not recognized as veterans for nearly six decades; awarding them a Congressional Gold Medal would help redress this injustice.
  • Tell them why this bill is important to you, as a veteran / woman veteran / woman voter / father with daughters / patriotic American / etc...