The Washington Spirit took out a full-page advertisement in Monday’s New York Times calling on Congress to pass the Equal Pay for Team USA Act.
“We are the Washington Spirit, the reigning champions of the National Women’s Soccer League and we have benefited greatly from Title IX,” the team said in its ad. “Today, we are calling on Congress to pass the Equal Pay for Team USA Act.”
The Spirit mentioned the recent passing of the U.S. women’s national team’s historic collective bargaining agreement, which guarantees equal pay for the men’s and women’s teams. Their letter in the New York Times said the proposed legislation would “ensure parity for every sport, a critical step toward gender equality.”
The USWNT Players Association voiced their support for the act and for the Spirit’s message.
“The Equal Pay for Team USA Act would ensure parity for every sport, a critical step toward gender equality,” they wrote. “Please call on your representatives to pass this act and make equal pay the law of the land.”
At least 50 different sporting organizations have voiced their support for the act, reported The Hill newspaper.
The Equal Pay for Team USA Act would ensure parity for every sport, a critical step toward gender equality. Please call on your representatives to pass this act and make equal pay the law of the land. https://t.co/hwzZAUAlxB
— USWNT Players (@USWNTPlayers) September 26, 2022
What is the Equal Pay for Team USA Act?
The proposed bipartisan legislation, which was introduced by Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) in 2019, would require that athletes competing for the United States in international amateur athletic competitions receive “equal and nondiscriminatory compensation and benefits” in each sport regardless of gender.
What would it do?
Compensation and benefits, including medical care, travel expenses and reimbursement of other expenses, would be made equal in each sport, regardless of gender, for athletes at international competitions — including the Olympics.
The law would apply to 50 different sports’ national governing bodies in the United States, with the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee providing oversight. In order to ensure compliance, each national governing body would submit a report annually to Congress.
