[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 50 (Thursday, March 27, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E609]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                TITLE IX

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JOE BACA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 27, 2003

  Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor today to voice my 
opposition to any efforts to change Title IX. For over 30 years, Title 
IX has been a successful program that has helped open doors for women 
in education and employment. I don't understand how people can argue 
with success and try to change such an important piece of legislation.
  Times have changed in this nation for competitive sports, and it is 
all because of Title IX. Title IX has helped change assumptions and 
attitudes about sexual stereotypes. It is hard to comprehend that less 
than 30 years ago people believed women were physically incapable of 
running the marathon. It was believed that female body composition made 
it impossible for them to run long distances! It wasn't until women 
began defying this irrational and unfounded notion by competing anyway 
that the world took notice and a crippling stereotype died. It is a 
myth that women are not interested in sports or competition. It is a 
myth that women would rather be cheering on the sidelines than 
competing on the field, the court, the green, track, or the diamond. 
Any effort to repeal a program that allows access to sports and 
education for women reincarnates myths and stereotypes that should have 
been put to rest decades ago.
  Title IX has helped knock down the senseless barriers that have 
prevented women from engaging in competition by requiring that equal 
funding be contributed to women's sports throughout all levels of 
education. Girls have an equal right with boys to receive at a minimum 
a basic education and to compete for scholarships--whether they are 
academic or athletic. Since 1972, the number of women playing 
collegiate sports has quadrupled! And the number of girls playing high 
school sports has increased to 3 million in the 30 years that Title IX 
has been on the books. Before Title IX was enacted, only 300,000 high 
school girls competed. The principle of equality requires that women be 
provided equal access and equal opportunity for education and sports.
  My 16-year-old daughter Jennifer plays on her high school golf team. 
Before Title IX, a girl's golf team in most schools would never have 
existed. Before Title IX many women weren't even allowed to step foot 
on a green! I want my daughter and the daughters of every family in the 
nation to have the right and the opportunity to compete and receive 
scholarships if their heart desires.
  It is a myth that the requirements of Title IX take away funding for 
male sports teams! The overwhelming majority of funding available goes 
to support college football and college basketball. Furthermore, in 30 
years we have seen the number of college baseball teams increase 
exponentially! If it were true that Title IX robs funding from male 
sports teams then why is it that for every dollar spent on women's 
collegiate sports, two dollars are spent for the male teams? We need to 
stop the myths about Title IX and allow the program to remain intact.
  No longer do young girls need to hide their hair in a cap and pretend 
to be boys if they want to play ball. No longer do we harbor under the 
misconception that women can't and don't want to play. Title IX was a 
bold step toward equality and it was a necessary element toward 
achieving fairness. Sports teach us how to win with integrity and how 
to lose with grace. They teach us healthy competition and how to 
strategize for success. They help promote healthy exercise and 
lifestyles. Women need to be offered the opportunity to enrich their 
lives by playing sports. We need to keep Title IX in play.

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