[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 11 (Wednesday, January 26, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E129]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              THE HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS ACCOUNTABILITY ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                     HON. LOUISE McINTOSH SLAUGHTER

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 26, 2011

  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise today to introduce the 
High School Athletics Accountability Act. As opportunities for girls 
and women to participate in sports and athletics have been made 
increasingly available, women's participation has grown exponentially. 
Over three million high school girls now participate in organized 
sports, as opposed to 294,015 in 1971 before Title IX was enacted. 
Athletic participation has brought with it confidence and camaraderie 
among young women, giving them memories and friends that will last a 
lifetime.
  Despite our progress, persistent attacks against equality for women's 
sports require that we continue to protect the rights our nation's 
young women deserve. Currently high schools are not required to 
disclose any data on equity in sports, making it difficult for high 
schools and parents to ensure fairness in their athletics programs. The 
High School Athletics Accountability Act requires that high schools 
report basic data on the number of female and male students in their 
athletic programs and the expenditures made for their sports teams. The 
data will help high schools improve opportunities for girls in sports, 
and thereby help high schools and parents of schoolchildren foster 
fairness in athletic opportunities for girls and boys. Ultimately 
better information will encourage greater participation of all students 
in athletics.
  Without information about how athletic opportunities and benefits are 
being allocated at the high school level, female students may be 
deprived of their chance to play sports. For many young women, sports 
are often their ticket to higher education. A survey conducted by the 
National Federation of State High School Associations indicates that 
female students receive 1.3 million fewer opportunities to play high 
school sports than do male students, which translate into many lost 
opportunities for athletic scholarships. Other studies show that 
student athletes tend to graduate at higher rates, perform better in 
school and are less likely to use drugs and alcohol. The New York Times 
recently highlighted research that found that the ``increase in girls' 
athletic participation caused by Title IX was associated with a 7 
percent lower risk of obesity 20 to 25 years later, when women were in 
their late 30s and early 40s.'' The study notes that while a 7 percent 
decline in obesity is modest, ``no other public health program can 
claim similar success.'' Women athletes also tend to have more 
confidence, better body image, and higher self-esteem than female non-
athletes--critical attributes that help them succeed throughout their 
lives.
  We must give our schools the tools they need to identify inequities 
in their programs so that current and future generations of women can 
enjoy the benefits of sports.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in this effort to help 
girls move toward equality in athletics at every level and in every 
community across the Nation.

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