[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]




    CHANGES TO TITLE IX ATHLETICS POLICIES CONTRADICT THE SPIRIT OF 
 ATHLETIC QUALITY AND GENDER PARITY AND SHOULD NOT BE IMPLEMENTED, AND 
                     TITLE IX SHOULD BE KEPT INTACT

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. ENI F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA

                           of american samoa

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 27, 2003

  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, June 19, 2002 marked the 30th 
Anniversary of the passing of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 
1972. This legislation was introduced and tirelessly fought for by my 
late colleague and friend the Honorable Patsy Mink of Hawaii. 
Congresswoman Mink left a legacy for us to continue, one which demands 
our continued diligence in promoting and maintaining gender equality. 
Since its passing, Title IX has been crucial in setting a standard of 
equal education opportunities.
  Today, and as a result of Title IX, the opportunities that women 
enjoy far surpass those of previous generations. These accomplishments 
are being threatened by current recommendations to implement changes to 
Title IX athletic policies that contradict the spirit of athletic 
equality and gender parity. We cannot allow this to happen.
  Some argue that Title IX has accomplished all its goals and some even 
suggest that it has exceeded what it was set forth to accomplish. The 
reality Mr. Speaker, is that while great strides have been made to 
level the playing field for women in sports we have not achieved 
complete gender equity in athletics. Data from the NCAA 1999-2000 
Gender Equity Report shows that female athletes in Division I schools 
receive only 41% of the opportunities to play intercollegiate sports, 
43% of the total athletic scholarship dollars, 36% of the athletic 
operating budgets, and 32% of the dollars spent to recruit new 
athletes.
  Additionally Mr. Speaker, Title IX does not deprive men of athletic 
resources, nor has men's participation in athletics suffered as a 
result of Title IX. In fact, by 2001 male participation in collegiate 
sports rose 22.6% from 1972. In 2000, for every dollar being spent on 
women's sport, Division I schools were spending almost two dollars on 
men's sports. In limited situations where men's athletic teams have 
been cut, it is often due to a lack of support for those teams combined 
with inflated budgets for football and men's basketball teams.
  Given these realities, changes to Title IX would be premature and a 
set-back to the work we have accomplished over the last 30 years. The 
task laid at our feet by the Honorable Patsy Mink to fight for gender 
equality requires us to make sure that the advances women have made as 
a result of the implementation of Title IX do not overshadow the fact 
that our work is not complete. Therefore I urge my colleagues to 
support the intent of this resolution.

                          ____________________