July 15, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 118 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E923]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNIZING THE EXTRAORDINARY ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE LEGENDARY UNITED 
       STATES WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM IN WINNING THE 2019 WORLD CUP

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 15, 2019

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, as the representative of the 18th 
Congressional District of Texas, home of the Houston Dash, and a die-
hard soccer fan, I rise to commemorate the historic performance of the 
United States Women's National Soccer Team in the 2019 Women's World 
Cup.
  These women brought honor and glory to our country through their 
dominant performance in the tournament, defeating a gallant team from 
The Netherlands, 2-0, in the championship match on July 7, 2019, in 
Lyon, France.
  During this World Cup, the United States Women's National Team set 
many records, including the most goals scored (26) in a single World 
Cup.
  The United States Women's National Team also set the record for the 
most goals ever scored in a single match, scoring 13 against Thailand.
  This was also the largest margin of victory in World Cup history.
  Jill Ellis, the coach of the United States Women's National Team, 
became the first Women's National Team coach to win two World cup 
titles, and the first American coach to do so.
  Madam Speaker, I wish to congratulate Meghan Rapinoe, Captain of the 
United States Women's National Team, for winning the Golden Ball Award 
for the best player in the tournament, and the Golden Boot Award for 
most goals scored in the least amount of time on the pitch.
  I also congratulate team captain Alex Morgan for winning the Silver 
Boot Award for most goals scored in a longer period of time, and to 
Rose Lavelle for the Bronze Ball Award for her extraordinary 
contributions to the success of the American team throughout the 
tournament.
  Madam Speaker, the glory brought to our country by this remarkable 
cohort of accomplished women could not have occurred had it not been 
for the passage in 1972 of the landmark Title IX of the Civil Rights 
Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any 
federally-funded educational program or activity.
  Title IX has given generations of women and girls the opportunity to 
participate in many extracurricular programs, but it has especially 
opened the door for women to participate in athletics.
  Title IX also extended the opportunity for women to compete at the 
next level, on highly-skilled and highly-competitive college teams.
  Without Title IX, many women and girls would have been forced to give 
up their dreams after high school.
  The opportunity for women's soccer players to compete at the 
collegiate level opened the doors for the creation of the Women's 
National Team.
  And, as demonstrated earlier this month in the 2019 World Cup, when 
given the opportunity to compete, American women will succeed.
  Madam Speaker, superior performance should be recognized and 
rewarded.
  In the 2019 World Cup, the United States Women's National Team set 
the record for winning the most World Cups of any women's team.
  The inaugural Women's World Cup occurred in 1991, and since then the 
United States Women's National Team has won four of the eight 
tournaments.
  Let me repeat that: The United States Women's National Team has won 
half of all the World Cups in history.
  During this same time period, the Men's National Team has not won a 
single World Cup.
  Yet, even after winning the 2019 World Cup, the members of the United 
States Women's National team will earn $31,000 less than the Men's 
team, which lost in the first knock-out round in 2014 World Cup and 
failed even to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.
  This pay disparity is outrageous and indefensible, and led members of 
the United States Women's National team to challenge this pay disparity 
in court action, which is now pending.
  Madam Speaker, at a minimum, our women's team should be paid equally 
for equal work, as is mandated by the Equal Pay Act and other civil 
rights laws.
  In addition, Congress should amend the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act 
of 2009 to address professional athletics, where women and men compete 
in the same sports, but play for different teams in different leagues.
  Instead, they are receiving inferior pay for superior work.
  But despite all of the obstacles they faced, our national team still 
achieved immortality through their legendary feats in the 2019 Women's 
World Cup.
  I thank all the members of the United States Women's National Team 
for inspiring the next generation of female athletes to follow their 
dreams and reach for the stars.
  While they are doing that, it is incumbent for us in Congress to do 
all that is necessary to ensure that this generation of female 
athletes, and the next, have no barriers preventing them from 
manifesting the greatness which lies within them.

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