The House Passes an Equal Pay Bill for US Women Competing in International Tournaments

The U.S. women's soccer team fought for years to be paid the same as the men, and the House recently passed a law that guarantees equal pay for American women competing in international competitions.

The Equal Pay for Team USA Act will mandate that all athletes who represent the United States in international competition receive equal pay and benefits in their sport, irrespective of gender. It covers the more than 50 national sports of the United States and is supervised by the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee.

The Senate had earlier unanimously approved the bill. It is currently on Joe Biden's desk, the vice president.

The legislation is a result of a federal complaint for gender discrimination that American women brought against U.S. Soccer in 2019. A new collective bargaining agreement that the women signed earlier this year stipulated equal compensation for men and women as well as a fair division of World Cup prize money.

The majority of Olympic sports played in the United States during the past ten years have complied with USOPC rules for equitable pay. However, there were still disparities between the men's and women's soccer teams, whose participation in international competitions like the World Cup resulted in distinct wage systems and monitoring, which prompted lawmakers to attempt to codify those standards.

In a statement announcing the bill's passage, U.S. Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone said, "By sending this legislation to the President, 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 equalising international prize money."