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WASHINGTON – The 25 women senators on Wednesday urged the US national football team to meet with them to talk to them about the "challenges women face on and off the field," which presumably includes high-level players for equal pay.
"In honor of your achievements, in recognition of your victory and the work that still awaits us, the bipartite women of the Senate look forward to seeing you on your visit to the Capitol," reads a letter to the # 39; team head coach, Jill Ellis, with team captains Carli Lloyd, Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan.
Shaheen's office said the letter was delivered Thursday morning.
After its fourth World Cup win, the US women's national football team has already accepted Capitol's invitation from Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (DN.Y.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (DN .Y.). The women senators hope to meet them at a time when 28 members of the team are suing the American football federation for "institutional discrimination based on sex", in violation of the Equal Pay Act and the Civil Rights Act .
The base salary of women football players is about $ 30,000 lower than their US Soccer counterparts. And there is a huge gap between the men's and women's World Cup bonuses. US Soccer awarded the men's team a $ 5.4 million bonus after losing in the round of 16 at the 2014 World Cup. It awarded $ 1.7 million to the women's team when it won the entire tournament in 2015.
Wage disparities persist despite the fact that American women's football games generate more revenue than the men's games of the past three years. They also have more eyes: the final of the 2015 Women's World Cup had more points of view than any football match in US history, whether male or female.
US viewers attended this year's Women's World Cup in record numbers. Last week, Nike announced that the jersey of the US women's team is now the best-selling football jersey ever sold on its website in one season.
US Soccer has used several arguments to defend its pay structure, including the fact that FIFA, the international governing body of football, offers more cash prizes for men's competitions, which is true and is largely beyond the control of US Soccer . However, there are factors under the control of US Soccer: the revenues are there. It's a budget surplus of $ 150 million. He could use at least part of it to pay the players more and develop the business. It's choosing not to.
Democratic lawmakers have tried to channel the excitement of the success of the American women's national team – and the anger over their unequal pay – by putting pressure on American football to make changes.
Last week, more than 50 congressional members wrote to US Soccer asking why, despite all their successes, players continue to receive lower wages, working conditions and investments. Sen. Joe Manchin (DW.Va.) on Tuesday introduced a bill banning federal funding for the 2026 Men's World Cup, which the United States co-organizes, until US Soccer agrees to 39, to give equal pay to American men and women. teams.
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