# Hello Girls Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2024

This bill authorizes Congress to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the "Hello Girls"—a group of women who served as telephone operators and switchboard operators for the U.S. Army Signal Corps during World War I. These women were stationed both in the United States and overseas, where they handled critical military communications on the front lines and at command centers. Despite their essential wartime service, they were never officially recognized as military personnel and didn't receive veteran benefits or formal acknowledgment of their contributions.

The Congressional Gold Medal is one of the highest civilian honors the United States can bestow. It's a symbolic recognition that Congress gives to individuals or groups for outstanding achievements and service to the nation. In this case, the medal would honor these women's bravery and dedication during a crucial period in American history. The Hello Girls faced dangerous conditions, worked long hours under stress, and played a vital role in military operations, yet their service was largely forgotten for decades. This bill seeks to correct that historical oversight by formally recognizing their contributions.

For most Americans, this bill has no direct practical impact on daily life—it's primarily a matter of historical recognition and honoring those who served. However, it matters to the descendants of the Hello Girls and to anyone who cares about ensuring that women's contributions to military history are properly acknowledged and remembered. The medal serves as a permanent reminder that women have been essential to America's defense efforts, even when their roles weren't always officially recognized at the time.

Hello Girls Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2024

Tester, Jon

Hello Girls Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2023 This bill provides for the award of a single Congressional Gold Medal in honor of the female telephone operators of the Army Signal Corps, commonly known as the Hello Girls, in recognition of their military service, devotion to duty, and 60-year struggle for veterans' benefits and recognition as soldiers.