[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 17797]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



           THANKS TO TITLE IX, WOMEN CONTINUE TO MAKE HISTORY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Mrs. Christensen) is recognized 
for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by thanking and 
applauding our cochair, the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney) 
and our covice-chair, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Millender-
McDonald) for putting together this Special Order and all of my other 
women colleagues for joining us this evening.
  I want to join also in thanking the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Mrs. 
Mink) and former Congresswoman Edith Green for their foresight in 
championing and protecting the rights of women and young girls against 
gender discrimination within the educational system of this country, 
particularly in athletics; and I want to also thank all the other 
Members of Congress who have continued to fight to end discrimination 
of all kinds in this Nation.
  Title IX was important legislation, and its impact is immeasurable. 
Its very intent was the impetus for ensuring that today's sheroes would 
become role models for the young girls of today and those yet to be 
born. Access to equal opportunities in education has made it possible 
for all of us to be here as representatives in Congress. Thanks to 
those like the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Mrs. Mink) who came before me, 
when I was fortunate to have been accepted into medical school, 
unfortunately, we were still less than 5 percent of our class. Now, 
women at George Washington University School of Medicine, my alma 
mater, make up more than 50 percent of any incoming class.
  In the past few weeks we have also had outstanding examples of what 
Title IX has done for women in the United States since its 
implementation. As many have said, on Friday, Air Force Colonel Eileen 
Collins made NASA and U.S. history as the first woman to command a 
space shuttle; and of course, we are all still basking in the success 
as well in the recent victory of the women's soccer team this month at 
the World Cup, which indicates what significant progress continues to 
be made each and every day.
  More women are enrolled in college and universities than ever and are 
pursuing postgraduate and professional degrees, a key factor in the 
swell of women-owned businesses across this country today. One of the 
most obvious benefits of Title IX is the impact it has had on women's 
participation in intercollegiate athletics, and our young women are 
determined to make their mark in the sport arena.
  In my district, the U.S. Virgin Islands, educational and athletic 
equity has long been practiced, and we have produced a multitude of 
successful players in various sports, as well as in other fields. One 
of our long-standing track and field success stories in the Virgin 
Islands is Flora Hyacinth who is one of 24 Virgin Islanders 
participating in the Pan American games in Winnipeg this week, and we 
wish her well. Ms. Hyacinth also set a world record in 1986 for the 
triple jump while attending the University of Alabama, and just last 
year won the long jump gold in the Venezuela games. She and Ameerah 
Bello, another winning track and field athlete from the Virgin Islands, 
are both qualifying members of the Virgin Islands Olympic team.
  Also making her mark in women's track and field is 16-year-old 
Rodneysha Pitts, who recently ranked among the top 10 U.S. high school 
students while attending school in Indiana briefly last year.
  At the college level, Vania Blake, a volleyball player from the 
Virgin Islands at North Carolina A&T, was named Athlete of the Year and 
MVP of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference for her school; and, Felicia 
James, the MVP of the All Star basketball games at Grambling State 
University in Louisiana.
  Mr. Speaker, I am sure that we have all had many shining examples of 
young women who have been able to succeed in their respective areas 
because of the freedom and opportunity Title IX provides. One only need 
attend a WNBA game here in the District or in any city to truly realize 
the impact that women's sports has had on up and coming female athletes 
nationwide; and it is here that we can also be proud of the precedence 
that Title IX has set, for without it, entities such as the WNBA would 
not have been possible.
  While we still have a long way to go in ensuring equality across the 
board for women and all Americans, we can look onward with pride as 
young women like Venus and Serena Williams dominate the world of tennis 
and cheer on all of the women who are charting a bright future in 
women's sports.
  I look forward to the day, Mr. Speaker, when there will be a women's 
soccer league, baseball league, and any other


league that we choose to break ground in. The sky is the limit for our 
young women in sports, in business, in politics, and now in space. I am 
proud to be here this evening with Congresswoman Meek and my other 
colleagues and to be able to work with them, to continue to open doors 
for women and for all Americans.

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