“National Day of Girls & Women In Sport Resolution Recognized

Today, U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Patty Murray (D-WA) joined Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Shelley Moore Capito (RW.Va.) in presenting a bipartisan resolution recognizing national girls and women in Sports Day, which this year took place on February 1.

“Sport has the power to inspire us, and our country is better off when women are empowered to participate and compete,” says Senator Cantwell. “Washington athletes like Megan Rapinoe, Sue Bird, the national champion football team at Western Washington University and many others have shown us what is possible. I am proud to stand with my colleagues in recognizing the importance of female athletes and encouraging our next generation of girls to pursue their dreams.

“Since Title IX opened doors for female athletes, women and girls across the country have excelled on and off the field – and changed our country for the better,” said Senator Murray. “Today, I am proud to celebrate the remarkable achievements of female athletes in Washington State and across the country, and to continue the fight for equal treatment – and equal pay – for women. and girls in sport.”

Senator Cantwell, who chairs the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, is a longtime champion of equality for women and girls in sport. In 2019, Senator Cantwell and Senator Moore Capito first introduced the Equal Pay Act for Team USA after the world champion USA women’s national soccer team sued legal action for equal pay. In 2021, senators reintroduced the bipartisan bill, which later passed the Senate and House unanimously by a substantial margin. President Biden signed the bill is Jan. 5, 2023.

Senator Murray has consistently led efforts in Congress to close the pay gap and ensure that all women are paid fairly for their work. Senator Murray specifically pushed the United States Soccer Federation to offer equal pay to its athletes, calling for reform in June 2016 after USWNT members filed a complaint with the Equal Opportunity Commission in employment, and again in March 2019 when the U.S. Soccer Federation still failed to act. In July 2019, after the United States women’s national team won its fourth World Cup championship – and still hadn’t received equal pay – Sen. Murray introduces the Fair Compensation for Athletics Act to help close the gender pay gap in Olympic and amateur sports.

This article is originally published on nouvelles-du-monde.com