(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senators Patty Murray and Olympia J. Snowe introduced a resolution in the U.S. Senate celebrating the accomplishments of Title IX, the groundbreaking statute intended to end sex discrimination in education. The resolution also recognizes the need to continue pursuing the goal of equal educational opportunities for women and girls.
“Forty years ago, 37 words threw open the doors to athletics, education and success for millions of young women across America,” said Senator Patty Murray. “This is a time for celebration, but also a time to recommit to every young girl out there today. The challenge for all of us today is to make sure those doors of opportunity stay open for our daughters, granddaughters, and our great-granddaughters.”
“Since my first day in Washington in 1979, I have been a stalwart supporter of Title IX and there should be no mistake what this 40-year-old landmark civil rights law is all about – equal opportunity for both girls and boys to excel in athletics,” said Senator Olympia J. Snowe. “Without question, Title IX has been the driving factor in allowing thousands of women and girls the opportunity to benefit from intercollegiate and high school sports. Indeed, prior to Title IX, only 1 in 27 high school girls, fewer than 300,000, played sports. Today, the number is more than 2.9 million, which is an increase of over 900 percent.”
The resolution was also sponsored by Senators Daniel Akaka (D-HI), Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Max Baucus (D-MT), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Scott Brown (R-MA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Bob Casey (D-PA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Mike Enzi (R-WY), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Al Franken (D-MN), Kristin Gillibrand (D-NY), Kay Hagan (D-NC), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Daniel Inouye (D-HI), John Kerry (D-MA), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Bernie Sanders (D-VT), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Jon Tester (D-MT), Mark Udall (D-CO), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).
The full text of the resolution follows:
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
_________________
Mrs. MURRAY (for herself and Ms. SNOWE) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on
________________
RESOLUTION
Celebrating the accomplishments of title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, also known as the Patsy Takemoto Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act, and recognizing the need to continue pursuing the goal of equal educational opportunities for all women and girls.
Whereas 40 years ago, on June 23, 1972, title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (in this preamble referred to as ‘‘title IX’’)(20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.) was signed into law by the President of the United States;
Whereas Representatives Patsy T. Mink and Edith Green led the successful fight in Congress to pass this legislation;
Whereas, on October 29, 2002, title IX was named the ‘‘Patsy Takemoto Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act’’ in recognition of Representative Mink’s heroic, visionary, and tireless leadership in developing and passing title IX;
Whereas title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in the administration of any education program receiving Federal financial assistance, including sports, and bars sexual and sex-based harassment, discrimination against pregnant and parenting students, and the us of stereotypes and other barriers to limit a person’s access to a particular educational field;
Whereas remarkable gains have been made to ensure equal opportunity for women and girls under the inspiration and mandate of title IX;
Whereas title IX has increased educational opportunities for women and girls, including their access to professional schools and nontraditional fields of study, and has improved their employment opportunities;
Whereas title IX has increased opportunities for women and girls in sports, leading to greater access to competitive sports and building strong values such as teamwork, leadership, discipline, work ethic, self-sacrifice, pride in accomplishment, and strength of character;
Whereas, while title IX has been instrumental in fostering 40 years of progress toward equality between men and women in educational institutions and the workplace, there remains progress to be made;
Whereas, in the 2010-2011 school year, girls were provided 1,300,000 fewer opportunities to play high school sports than boys;
Whereas, in 2010, at the typical Division I Football Bowl Subdivision school, 51 percent of the students were women, but female athletes received only 28 percent of the total money spent on athletics, 31 percent of the money spent to recruit new athletes, and 42 percent of the total athletic scholarship funds;
Whereas research shows that more than 8 out of 10 successful businesswomen played organized sports as children;
Whereas, for girls who engage in sports, 80 percent are less likely to have a drug problem and 92 percent are less likely to have an unwanted pregnancy;
Whereas title IX seeks to protect students from sexual harassment and defend pregnant and parenting students from discrimination;
Whereas stereotypes and discriminatory barriers in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics persist and contribute to the low numbers of women and girls in those fields;
Whereas, in 2009, women comprised only 19 percent of students receiving baccalaureate degrees in physics, 18 percent of students receiving baccalaureate degrees in computer science, 16 percent of students receiving baccalaureate degrees in engineering and engineering technologies, and 22 percent of students receiving master’s or doctorate degrees in engineering and engineering technologies; and
Whereas, while title IX has resulted in significant gains for women and girls in education, the law’s full promise of equal educational opportunities for all women and girls has not yet been fulfilled: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate—
(1) celebrates the accomplishments resulting from the passage of title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, also known as the Patsy Takemoto Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act, in increasing opportunities for women and girls in many facets of education, including the magnificent accomplishments of women and girls in sports;
(2) reaffirms the commitment of title IX to ending all discrimination against women and girls in elementary, secondary, and higher education, and to equal opportunities for women and girls in athletics; and
(3) recognizes the continued importance of title IX in providing needed protections for women and girls.
English 
Spanish