The U.S. Women’s National Team has claimed another victory in its fight for equal pay.
The Equal Pay for Team USA Act was passed by the House on Wednesday, a bill that ensures equal compensation and benefits — including medical care, travel, and expenses — for all athletes representing the U.S. in international sports events.
- Covering more than 50 national sports, the Act requires the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee to oversee equal pay.
- Having already received unanimous support from the Senate, the bill now heads to President Joe Biden.
“Both houses have sent a clear message that this is the standard for all national teams in all sports, and it underscores the importance of working with our athletes to achieve equal pay including equalizing international prize money,” said U.S. Soccer president Cindy Parlow Cone.
CBA Pay
The bill is an outcome of a gender discrimination lawsuit filed in 2019 against U.S. Soccer.
Earlier this year, the USWNT signed a new collective bargaining agreement for pay structures that equates to the men’s team through 2028.
Thanks to the new CBA, the women’s team earned $6.5 million from the men’s team advancing to the knockout stage in the 2022 FIFA World Cup — more than the $6 million the women’s team received from winning the 2015 and 2019 World Cups combined.
