[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 194 (Thursday, December 5, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6883-S6884]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               EQUAL PAY

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, this past October, the young women who make 
up the Burlington High School girls soccer team in Burlington, VT, made 
a statement: The time for equal pay is now. All they are looking for is 
for their leaders--leaders like us in Congress--to show the courage to 
make it happen.
  It all began one Friday night in October, when, after scoring a goal 
to put them ahead in the closing minutes of a game against neighboring 
rivals South Burlington, four exuberant members of the soccer team 
removed their jerseys to reveal T-shirts emblazoned with this simple 
phrase: ``#EqualPay.''
  The reception to their silent statement was reminiscent of that 
moment when the U.S. Women's National Team made history in July, 
winning its second consecutive World Cup title. After a thrilling win 
over the Netherlands, the stadium in France was filled with chants of 
``Equal Pay! Equal Pay!''.
  One Friday in October, the stands--though smaller--in Burlington, VT, 
erupted in the same way. The result? Yellow cards for the offending 
players, issued by a referee bound by the rules of the league.
  The young women of the Burlington High School soccer team became 
overnight sensations. Within a matter of days, they had sold more than 
2,000 of their now iconic simple white T-shirts, raising more than 
$30,000 to support the Greater Burlington Girls Soccer League. Men were 
invited to pay an extra $4 for the $25 T-shirt: 16 percent of the cost, 
to represent the pay gender pay gap in Vermont. Their story was 
reported by local outlets like VTDigger and the Burlington Free Press, 
and it was featured on ``Good Morning America'' and on CNN. It even 
reached across the pond, where the UK's Daily Mail featured the team's 
advocacy. I ask unanimous consent that the report from VTDigger be 
printed in the Record following these remarks.
  The lesson here is simple, and the voices could not be clearer: Equal 
pay for equal work should not be controversial, nor should it be 
challenged. Yet today in Vermont, a woman makes $0.84 for every $1 
earned by a man. In some States, the gap is as wide as 70 percent. It 
is inexplicable. It is inexcusable. And it needs to stop.
  Marcelle and I are proud to support the young women of the Burlington 
High School soccer team. We proudly wore our #EqualPay shirts outside 
the U.S. Capitol, standing in solidarity with these young Vermonters 
and with women everywhere who are simply demanding what should be 
theirs: equal pay for equal work.
  Earlier this year, after the U.S. Women's National Team's inspiring 
victory at the World Cup, I reintroduced a simple resolution calling 
for the Federation Internationale de Football Association, FIFA, to 
immediately eliminate gender pay inequity and treat all athletes with 
the same respect and dignity, regardless of gender. It is 
straightforward. It is common sense. And it is past due.
  Following the October game, the referee who issued the yellow card 
bought one of the team's #EqualPay shirts for himself. I find in that 
action a simple metaphor: There is simply no longer support for arcane 
practices that never should have existed. We should heed the call of 
the next generation and end these discriminatory practices, not just in 
sports but across the workforce. Equal pay for equal work should be the 
right of every person. It is as simple as that.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                   [From the VTDigger, Oct. 22, 2019]

    Burlington Girls Soccer Team Makes Waves With Equal Pay Activism

                           (By Aidan Quigley)

       Burlington.--When Burlington girls soccer midfielder Helen 
     Worden knocked in the take-the-lead goal during the team's 
     Friday night game against South Burlington with under five 
     minutes to play, her team burst into a celebration.
       Team members took the opportunity to lift their jerseys up 
     to reveal #equalpay T-shirts underneath, with a few removing 
     their jerseys to show the full #equalpay shirts.
       While four members of the teams received yellow cards for 
     removing their jerseys, the celebration--and team's efforts 
     for gender pay equality--went viral over the weekend, with an 
     appearance on ``Good Morning America,'' coverage on CNN and a 
     slew of supportive messages.
       The team was inspired by the U.S. women's national soccer 
     team's campaign this summer during the World Cup. Members of 
     the national team filed a federal lawsuit alleging gender 
     discrimination against U.S. Soccer which stated the women's 
     team generated $20 million more in revenue than the men's 
     team while earning a quarter of what the men were paid.
       Klara Martone, Burlington's senior goalie, said that the 
     players were working hard in school and wanted to bring 
     attention to the pay gap in society.
       ``The idea that we could work this hard and still make less 
     money just based on our gender is incredible to me,'' Martone 
     said. ``We want to live in our adult lives in a world where 
     we don't have to worry about making less money.''
       The girls have sold 2,000 T-shirts and raised a total of 
     $30,000 as of Monday afternoon.
       Worden went to France this summer and witnessed the United 
     States win the World Cup. A chant after the win stuck with 
     her.
       ``People were cheering `equal pay,' and it was super 
     inspiring,'' Worden said. ``So I came back and talked to (my 
     teammates) about it, and said we should contribute in some 
     way.''
       Martone said that the team originally planned on wearing 
     ``equal pay'' T-shirts for a dress-up day near the start of 
     the season. But the idea gained steam, and the team decided 
     to open up T-shirt orders to the community.
       Junior right back Ruby Wool said at the start, having the 
     boys soccer team wear the T-shirts was a ``big victory'' for 
     the team.
       ``Those small little steps we were taking were so big to 
     us, and with each thing everything is getting bigger,'' Wool 
     said. ``As of right now, I don't think it's going to get 
     smaller for a while.''
       The team was ``fuming'' when they received yellow cards at 
     Friday's game, Worden said.
       As four of the girls received yellow cards, the crowd 
     chanted ``equal pay.''
       ``The good thing about the card was hearing everybody had 
     our back,'' senior center back/mid Maggie Barlow said. ``That 
     was one of the moments we were like, `wow, we have such a big 
     support system.' It was worth it because that was amazing to 
     hear.''
       Coach Jeff Hayes said some members of the South Burlington 
     team came over the referees and requested that they not card 
     their opponents. The cards were an exciting moment for the 
     team, he said.
       The four players who received yellow cards had to be 
     temporarily taken out of the game and were not able to check 
     back in before South Burlington equalized minutes later. The 
     game ended in a 1-1 tie.
       The effort was applauded by Brandi Chastain, a longtime 
     member of the U.S. national team who famously removed her 
     jersey in celebration of her penalty kick goal which won the 
     1999 World Cup.
       ``Thank you @bhsgirlssoccer for standing up, celebrating 
     and taking your jerseys off for #equalpay Proud of you! 
     #rolemodels,'' Chastain tweeted Saturday.
       Removing a jersey as part of a goal celebration--a popular 
     goal celebration--is an

[[Page S6884]]

     automatic yellow card under the regulations of FIFA, soccer's 
     worldwide governing body.
       Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy tweeted a photo of himself and 
     his wife, Marcelle, both wearing the #equalpay jerseys.
       ``Marcelle and I stand with you!'' Leahy tweeted.
       The team has worked with Change The Story VT, a nonprofit 
     initiative which works to address the wage gap and advance 
     economic opportunities for women in the state. Women in 
     Vermont earn 84 cents to every dollar earned by men, 
     according to Change the Story.
       Jessica Nordhaus, director of strategy and partnerships for 
     Change the Story, said the organization has been helping the 
     team with logistics and strategy. She said it has been a good 
     opportunity to talk to young people about the wage gap, which 
     isn't on track to close until 2048.
       ``They're doing the math and thinking, `How old will I be 
     in 2048?' '' Nordhaus said. ``We've just been so thrilled to 
     see them take this issue on and do some of the activism that 
     raises awareness about pay inequity.''
       The team is selling the jerseys for $25, with a looser fit 
     ``men's'' style jersey for $29.80. The men's jersey is 16% 
     more expensive, which is meant to even the wage gap.
       The jerseys have #EqualPay on the front with the BHS 
     Seahorse logo and Change The Story logos on the sleeves.
       Funds raised in the sales will go to a local youth soccer 
     Greater Burlington Girls Soccer League. The players are 
     hoping the funds raised can help with outreach across the 
     city and help make participants in the soccer league more 
     reflective of the demographics of the city.
       ``We want them to be able to give scholarships to girls who 
     aren't able to play,'' Barlow said. ``We're working on 
     widening access for all different kinds of people and making 
     sure GBGSL has the means to fund that.''
       The team finished its regular season with a 9-4-1 record, 
     receiving the fourth seed in the Division 1 playoffs. 
     Burlington will face off with 13th seed Brattleboro Wednesday 
     in the first round of the playoffs.
       Hayes said he is excited for the playoffs and that the 
     activism is bringing the team even closer together.
       ``It just brought this team so together,'' Hayes said. 
     ``They're so cohesive when they are using their voices. 
     They're making waves in the community, and they're good 
     waves.''

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