[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 114 (Tuesday, July 9, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S4708]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                     U.S. Women's World Cup Victory

  Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, yesterday, I sent a letter to U.S. 
soccer that officially invited the U.S. women's soccer team to come to 
the Senate to celebrate their outstanding World Cup victory. Happily, I 
heard last night that Megan Rapinoe, one of the team's cocaptains and 
stars of the tournament, has accepted our invitation. I greatly look 
forward to scheduling a time when these inspiring women can come to the 
Nation's Capital.
  What they have accomplished on and off the pitch is a credit to our 
Nation. Millions of young girls and young boys look up to these 
players. Millions of women, sports fans or not, admire the light they 
have shown on the disparities between the men's and women's game--part 
of a broader fight for equal treatment and fair pay in the workplace 
for all women.
  I believe it would be a fitting tribute to this great women's soccer 
team to bring legislation to the Senate floor that would make it easier 
for women to get equal pay in the workplace. The House has already 
passed a bill to do just that. I call on Leader McConnell, again, to 
bring that bill to the floor of the Senate, particularly in light of 
the great victory of the women's team and the knowledge that they get 
paid much less than the men, even though they work just as hard and 
bring, at least in recent years, even greater glory to the United 
States.
  Wouldn't it be great if we could pass that bill while the women's 
national team is visiting the Chamber? Wouldn't that send a powerful 
message of our commitment to rooting out discrimination everywhere?
  I urge Leader McConnell to consider it. Right now that bill lies in 
Leader McConnell's all-too-full legislative graveyard. Perhaps this 
great victory might spring it free so that we could do something for 
women's equality.