[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 33 (Wednesday, February 25, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S2479]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Ms. SNOWE (for herself, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Kennedy, Ms. 
        Mikulski, Mr. Durbin, and Mr. Bingaman):
  S. 471. A bill to amend the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 to 
require the Statistics Commissioner to collect information from 
coeducational secondary schools on such schools' athletic programs, and 
for other purposes; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
Pensions.
  Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, I rise to introduce the High School Sports 
Information Collection Act. I am pleased to be joined again this year 
by my colleague from Washington, Senator Murray. Since the 108th 
Congress, we have introduced this bill to require that high schools, 
like their collegiate counterparts, disclose data on equity in sports, 
making it possible for student athletes and their parents to ensure 
fairness in their school's athletic programs.
  Since my first day in Washington in 1979, I have been a stalwart 
supporter of Title IX. And there should be no mistake what this 37-
year-old landmark civil rights law is all about--equal opportunity for 
both girls and boys to excel in athletics. Obviously, athletic 
participation supports physical health, but sports also impart benefits 
beyond the playing field. For girls who engage in sports, half are less 
likely to suffer depression and breast cancer, 80 percent are less 
likely to have a drug problem, and 92 percent are less likely to have 
an unwanted pregnancy. Athletic competition helps cultivate the kind of 
positive, competitive spirit that develops dedication, self-confidence, 
a sense of team spirit, and ultimate success later in life. So it's not 
surprising that, according to several studies, more than eight out of 
ten successful businesswomen played organized sports while growing up!
  Without question, Title IX has been the driving factor in allowing 
thousands of women and girls the opportunity to benefit from 
intercollegiate and high school sports. Indeed, prior to Title IX, only 
1 in 27 high school girls--fewer than 300,000--played sports. Today, 
the number is more than 2.9 million, that's an increase of over 900 
percent! Moreover, our country is celebrating the achievements of our 
women athletes now more than ever. Just a few weeks ago, tennis player 
Serena Williams became the all-time prize-money leader in women's 
sports by reaching both the doubles and singles finals in the 
Australian Open--not to mention that she won both titles! I am 
particularly pleased that Ms. Williams expressed appreciation for Title 
IX, proving how impactful this policy has been in giving her, and many 
other women, the opportunity to play sports.
  So while we celebrate this remarkable progress, we cannot allow 
ourselves a ``time-out'' or rest on past success. That is why I am 
pleased to work with Senator Patty Murray--who has been a tireless 
advocate for women's sports--to reintroduce the High School Sports Data 
Collection Act of 2007. Our bill directs the Commissioner of the 
National Center for Education Statistics to collect information 
regarding participation in athletics broken down by gender; teams; race 
and ethnicity; and overall expenditures, including items like travel 
expenses, equipment and uniforms. These data are already reported, in 
most cases, to the state Departments of Education and should not pose 
any additional burden on the high schools. Further, to ensure public 
access to this vital information, our legislation would require high 
schools to post the data on the Department of Education's website and 
make this information available to students and the public upon 
request.
  For nearly 40 years, Title IX has opened doors by giving women and 
girls an equal opportunity to participate in student athletic programs. 
This bill will continue that tradition by allowing us to assess current 
opportunities for sports participation for young women, and correct any 
deficiencies. With this new information, we can ensure that young women 
all over the country have the chance not only to improve their athletic 
ability, but also to develop the qualities of teamwork, discipline, and 
self-confidence that lead to success off the playing field.
                                 ______