Formatting necessary for an accurate reading of this text may be shown by tags (e.g., <DELETED> or <BOLD>) or may be missing from this TXT display. For complete and accurate display of this text, see the PDF.
[Page S4684]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
U.S. WOMEN'S WORLD CUP VICTORY
Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, let me congratulate the U.S. Women's
National Team on winning the World Cup yesterday. It is the second
title in a row and fourth overall, the most for any nation. Boy, did
they make us proud.
The team's sustained level of excellence is something for all of us
to exult in, to be proud of, as are the heart, skill, and sheer joy the
U.S. women bring to the pitch. As they make their way home, I send them
my congratulations, my thanks, and a formal invitation for the team to
come to the Upper Chamber for a celebration as they visit our Nation's
Capital. It would be my honor to host America's winning team.
I want to send a special congratulations to the New Yorkers on the
team, Allie Long and Crystal Dunn, the latter of whom made a crucial
tackle in the final, leading to our second and decisive goal in the
final period. New York is proud of them both, as well as the entire
roster.
While today we celebrate their victory, we also recognize that these
women athletes have challenges and they make us really think about the
future of women's sports. They make us grapple with the deep unfairness
in how female athletes are treated and paid compared to their male
counterparts. Similarly, it is an unfortunate reality that women in the
workforce see their male colleagues paid significantly more for the
same work.
We have come a long way in terms of the prominence of and support for
women's sports over the past decade, but we have not come nearly far
enough. Every young girl who has had to play on weeknights instead of
weekends because that is when the boys play, who has had to accept
older equipment because the boys got the new stuff, who has had to play
on the other field or rink or court because the boys were using the
main one--every girl who has gone through that knows this to be true.
As a parent of two girls who played soccer, basketball, baseball, and
lacrosse, I know this to be true.
I think when it comes to U.S. women, it is absolutely right to be
talking about their pay right now. They have shone a light on the fact
that, in our society, women are simply not treated fairly because of
their gender. Something needs to change here. What the U.S. women did
was extraordinary, and they deserve to be compensated fairly. All women
need to be compensated fairly, period. We ought to pay attention to
this not just once every 4 years during the World Cup, but year in and
year out.
How about the equal payment amendment that the House has passed? Why
don't we put it on the floor of the Senate in honor of the women who
won the World Cup? Why don't we do that, Leader McConnell?
I am sure there will be lots of encomia from the other side about
these women. Let's act so we can help all women achieve equality--equal
work, equal pay.
____________________