IV

105TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. RES. 173

Honoring the inaugural season of the United States women’s professional

basketball leagues.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JUNE 20, 1997

Ms. BROWN of Florida (for herself, Mr. DELLUMS, Ms. KILPATRICK, Mr.

BONIOR, Mr. ADAM SMITH of Washington, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Mr.

FROST, Mr. DIXON, Mr. HILLIARD, Ms. MILLENDER-MCDONALD, Mr.

BLUMENAUER, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. NEAL of

Massachusetts, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. FILNER, Mr. BARRETT of Wisconsin,

Mrs. MEEK of Florida, and Ms. CHRISTIAN-GREEN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and

the Workforce

RESOLUTION

Honoring the inaugural season of the United States women’s

professional basketball leagues.

Whereas one in twenty-seven females participated in high

school sports in 1970, prior to the passage of title IX of

the Higher Education Act;

Whereas one in three women now participate in high school

sports;

Whereas female attendance at National Collegiate Athletic

Association (NCAA) sports events has increased from

1,100,000 in 1982 to 4,200,000 in 1996;
2

•HRES 173 IH

Whereas the 1995–1996 NCAA student-athlete participation

rate is the highest ever, and is directly attributable to

gains in women’s sports, and to title IX of the Higher

Education Act;

Whereas 97 percent of NCAA active institutions sponsored a

women’s basketball program, making women’s basketball

the most sponsored NCAA sport during the 1995–1996

season;

Whereas there are more women’s basketball sports programs

than men’s basketball programs among NCAA active institutions;

Whereas women account for 38.2 percent of all NCAA student athletes;

Whereas women’s athletics programs at NCAA member

schools have increased in participation, scholarship dollars, coaches’ salaries and recruiting expenditures over

the past 5 years;

Whereas the average number of women athletes per school in

the NCAA’s Division I increased from 112 to 130 over

the past 5 years;

Whereas the 1997 Women’s NCAA Division I Basketball

Championship was the highest rated and most watched

women’s sports event in cable television history;

Whereas the creation of the American Basketball League

(ABL) and the Women’s National Basketball Association

(WNBA) is a direct result of the success of women’s college basketball;

Whereas the establishment of the ABL and the WNBA is the

fourth and fifth attempts respectively to establish nationwide women’s professional basketball associations in

American history;
3

•HRES 173 IH

Whereas the ABL completed its opening season March 11

and the WNBA began its first season on June 21;

Whereas the professional women players deserve to perform

here in the United States instead of abroad in international leagues;

Whereas Team USA’s female basketball team won the gold

medal in the recent Olympics, proving that America’s female players are the best in international competition;

Whereas 80 million women play basketball around the world,

and basketball is the most popular youth participation

sport in the Nation for girls; and

Whereas the leagues will offer role models to young women

and promote greater female athleticism and equity for

women’s sports, continuing the tradition of gender equity

in sports first promoted through title IX of the Higher

Education Act: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the

2 House of Representatives—

3 (1) congratulates the American Basketball

4 League (ABL) and the Women’s National Basket5 ball Association (WNBA) on their inaugural seasons;

6 and

7 (2) recognizes the players, sponsors, owners,

8 and fans of the leagues’ teams for their commitment

9 to supporting women and women’s athletics.

Æ