[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 17551]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              CELEBRATING THE 35TH ANNIVERSARY OF TITLE IX

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. JANICE D. SCHAKOWSKY

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 26, 2007

  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Madam Speaker, June 23, 2007 marked a significant 
event in American history; the 35th anniversary of the passage of Title 
IX of the Higher Education Act. In celebrating the 35th anniversary of 
the Title IX law, I am pleased to honor the principle of equal 
opportunity before the law and applaud the amazing contributions made 
by women.
  Title IX's impact on college sports has been well documented. 
However, its influence on women extends well beyond the playing field 
and into the classroom. When the law was passed in 1972, 46 percent of 
female high school students enrolled in college immediately after 
graduating. In 2005, that figure had risen to 70 percent and the share 
of bachelor's degrees earned by women had increased from 44 to 57 
percent.
  Title IX has also affected my life in a very personal way. I have 
seen how Title IX has changed the experiences of the women in my own 
family. When I was in school, there was no Title IX and opportunities 
were limited. When my daughter, Mary, was in school, Title IX was in 
its infancy, but it opened the door to her and her classmates to a 
number of options in not only sports, but careers as well. I am so 
excited that now that my granddaughters, Isabel, Lucy, and Eve are 
growing up in a time when a whole new world is available to them.
  As a member of Congress I am dedicated to ensuring that Title IX 
remains in tact. We have made great progress as a Nation in the last 35 
years; however, we must make certain that Title IX remains a bedrock 
principle in America. The progress we have seen in the country is just 
the beginning.

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