Pelosi Remarks at Annual Women’s History Month Event Honoring Billie Jean King and Women Athletes in Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Title IX
Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi hosted an Annual Women's History Month event honoring Billie Jean King and women athletes with special recognition of the late Congresswoman Patsy Mink, the author and sponsor of Title IX, landmark legislation that has been a pillar of equity, opportunity and education in helping women chase their dreams in the classroom, on the field and in every arena. Below are the Speaker's remarks:
Speaker Pelosi. Good morning, everyone. Welcome to Statuary Hall on this very special occasion. As Speaker of the House, it is my honor to welcome each and every one of you to the United States Capitol to celebrate Women's History Month: a special season to pay tribute to many leaders on whose shoulders we stand.
Today, we have the privilege of honoring an all-American icon, Billie Jean King –
[Applause]
– and all of the trailblazing women in sports. Not only is Billie Jean one of the greatest tennis players of all time – men or women – but she has blessed our country with her devotion to activism. She has been a fearless voice for women and LGBTQ Americans. And for their many friends in Congress, a partner for progress. She's here today with her wife, Ilana. Ilana, thank you.
[Applause]
And it is appropriate that we honor Billie Jean this year – fifty years after we enacted Title IX.
[Applause]
Thank you, Billie Jean, for fighting so fiercely for that.
We're also blessed to be joined by Dr. Wendy Mink, daughter of the legendary Congresswoman Patsy Mink.
[Applause]
Patsy Mink led the charge for Title IX so many decades ago – we'll talk more about that. And I've always wanted to acknowledge Senator Birch Bayh from Indiana who led the way in the Senate.
And let us now salute – and also salute Chairman Bobby Scott of the Education and Labor Committee, a steadfast defender of Title IX from, again, the health – the helm of the Education and Labor Committee.
[Applause]
So, on behalf of the Congress in the country, I welcome Billie Jean, her wife Ilana, their family and friends, the remarkable athletes and dedicated leaders joining us here today – we'll hear more about them. But first, we're going to hear from our distinguished Chairman Bobby Scott, who will be introduced by the Voice of God.
[Laughter]
Thank you, all. You know, God was a woman.
[Laughter]
***
Speaker Pelosi. Good afternoon – no, it's still morning. Good morning, everyone.
Isn't it wonderful to just bask in the glow of Billie Jean King in the Capitol of the United States? Isn't it wonderful to be so encouraged by the words of Dr. Wendy Mink – I loved talking about her mother. And aren't we proud of Bobby Scott – our Chairman who has been a champion on all the issues that have been spoken about and so many more today.
Billie Jean, I want you to know that COVID prevents us from having a totally packed place, and we – our Director of Protocol has given us the maximum number. But so many of our women Members are here, and I wish they would all just stand up because this is an unusually large number of women who are here.
[Applause]
And we are joined by our distinguished Whip Jim Clyburn – father of three daughters, so he never misses a woman's event.
As we all know, this June, our nation marks the 50th anniversary of Title IX – that's what we're here to celebrate. Indeed, when we enacted Title IX – when Congress did – America took a major leap [toward] our founding ideal that all are created equal. In the decades since, the landmark law has been a pillar of equity, opportunity and education: helping women choose their – and chase their dreams in the classroom, on the field and in every arena, as has been mentioned.
For this historic victory, Congress and the country owe a debt of gratitude to Congresswoman Patsy Mink: the godmother of Title IX.
[Applause]
I want to talk to you a little bit about her person, because Bobby and I had the honor – and some others, Maxine, others of us here – had, had the honor of serving with her. Jan Schakowsky, anybody else? You did, Jim. Maloney. Sheila.
You know, to serve with her was to – I mean just, we learned from her every day, let's say. But she was rising from a sugar plantation town on Maui. Her parents were very well-educated, but in the times, all they could do was pick sugar cane, and she was there with them. Congresswoman Mink overcame much discrimination to become a progressive champion and the first woman of color – as Wendy mentioned – the first woman of color to ever serve in the Congress of the United States.
[Applause]
She was truly a fierce nature, but you would never know it because she always had a smile. In enacting Title IX, crafting the legislation, fighting to get it to the Floor and, through her sheer force of will, engineering its final path.
Now, let me just tell you about that.
This is the story: when I came in ‘87 and served with her when she came back in. Fifty years ago around now, or a little bit earlier, Billie Jean – she had been fighting for this. Fighting for it, fighting for it. But as was mentioned, there were very few women in Congress at the time. She won the ability to have the Speaker agree to bring the bill to the Floor – but coming up the next day. That night before, Wendy was in an automobile accident. As the – and what does she do? She's a mom. She has to go, of course, to her daughter. Bill could not be brought up. So she had to fight the fight again to get the guys to bring the bill to the Floor.
And let me just say, this sounds very victorious – no, it wasn't easy. Well, it was going to take away from this, and it was going to take away from that – and so she had a real fight. Understand that. But she not only passed it, she defended it, too, leading the charge against the effort to exempt athletics from Title IX. They wanted to exempt athletics – can you imagine? She triumphed even having to leave Washington, as I said, to tend to Wendy who had been in a severe car accident.
We're thrilled that soon Patsy's portrait will be hung here in the Capitol, so that she can be celebrated for all who walk through these high halls. It's about time; it's long overdue.
[Applause]
It's so exciting for us that Billie Jean King is here. And – Bobby Scott said to me as Billie was approaching, ‘It's wonderful that Billie was such a – the best tennis player in the world. But she's one of the best people in the world.'
[Applause]
She should be celebrated for everything else that she has done. And again, we celebrate Billie Jean and all women athletes who fought for Title IX and broke down the door for future generations. Indeed, Billie Jean was a game changer, in many respects. All are in awe of her pioneering career: rising from public tennis courts, as she mentioned, in Long Beach to become the top-ranked player in the world.
[Applause]
Her iconic victory in the Battle of the Sexes brought visibility and respect – not only to women's tennis, but to all women's sports.
She was also an outspoken advocate. She was – and is – she founded the Women's Tennis Association to build a better future for the sport. She has offered a courageous voice for the LGBTQ community. And she was a champion of Title IX, testifying before Congress and rallying the nation – continues to do that.
Today, determined women activists are carrying on the fight for equality: from the Women's National Soccer Team demanding equal pay to WNBA players lending their voices to the cause for racial justice and many more. We are also fortunate to have with us today Coach Tamika Dudley – Tamika Dudley is an all-star – and several stellar players of the 2022 championship winning Sidwell Friends girls' basketball team – the best girls team in the country. Can you stand up and give us a wave?
[Applause]
Coach, give us a special wave, Coach. There's the coach. Thank you, Coach Tamika Dudley, highly acclaimed. How inspiring it is to be joined today by the next generation of women leaders! Let us congratulate your program for making history: the first time a coach and a player from the same team will – both won the prestigious Naismith awards in the same year.
[Applause]
As we are gathered here today, our thoughts are, of course, with the people of the Ukraine. We must be prayerful, and we must be helpful. And we will have legislation on the Floor today to do just that. We especially salute the brave Ukrainian women fighting to defend their democracy and protect their families.
At the same time, let us pray for the WNBA star Brittney Griner, right there. There's her picture – she's in the orange shirt. She's visiting us with our colleague, Congressman Stanton of Arizona. She was playing for the Phoenix team when she visited the Capitol, recently. She is now in prison, being detained by the Russians. We want her to know that we are thinking of her and praying for her, and we want the Russians to know that, too. Congress and the country are sending our prayers to her, her wife and her family.
With this reception, we celebrate all women athletes who have blazed trails for our daughters and granddaughters. So let us – and many of them are live, listening live stream because of limitations COVID provides, presents to us.
So let us summon the indomitable spirit of our guest of honor, who as the title of her book affirms, has for decades been ‘All In' for women, for equality, for justice. And let us renew our pledge to carry on the fight for full equality for every American – because we know, in terms of women, when women succeed, America succeeds!
[Applause]
Thank you, again, everyone for being here today. Please enjoy the reception – and now, let's be ‘all in!' Thank you all very much. Thank you, Billie Jean King, for honoring us. Thank you, Wendy Mink. Thank you, Bobby Scott. Thank you all.