WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Patty Murray (D-WA) joined Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) in introducing a bipartisan resolution recognizing National Girls & Women in Sports Day, which this year took place on February 1.

“Sports has the power to inspire us, and our country is better when women are empowered to participate and compete,” Sen. Cantwell said. “Washington athletes like Megan Rapinoe, Sue Bird, the national champion Western Washington University soccer team, and so many others have shown us just what is possible. I’m proud to stand with my colleagues to recognize the importance of female athletes and encourage our next generation of girls to chase after their dreams.”

“Since Title IX burst open doors for women athletes to compete, women and girls across our country have excelled on and off the field – and changed our country for the better,” Sen. Murray said. “Today, I’m proud to celebrate the remarkable achievements of women athletes in Washington state and all across the country, and to continue the fight for equal treatment – and equal pay – for women and girls in sports.”

Sen. Cantwell, who serves as chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, is a longtime champion of securing equality for women and girls in sports. In 2019, Sen. Cantwell and Sen. Moore Capito first introduced the Equal Pay for Team USA Act after the world-champion U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team sued for equal pay. In 2021, the senators re-introduced the bipartisan bill, which went on to pass the Senate unanimously and pass the House by a substantial margin. President Biden signed the bill into law on Jan. 5, 2023.

Sen. Murray has consistently led efforts in Congress to close the wage gap and ensure all women are paid fairly for their work. Sen. Murray has specifically pushed the U.S. Soccer Federation to provide equal pay to its athletes, calling for reform in June 2016 after members of the USWNT filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and again in March 2019 when the U.S. Soccer Federation still failed to act. In July 2019, after the U.S. Women’s National Team won their fourth World Cup Championship—and still had not received equal pay—Sen. Murray introduced the Athletics Fair Pay Act to help close the gender pay gap in Olympic and amateur sports.