All Roll Calls
Yes: 350 • No: 59
117-s-2333117th CongressWALLET
Equal Pay for Team USA Act of 2022
Sponsored By: Senator Cantwell, Maria [D-WA]
Became Law
Summary
Equal pay for female and male athletes in U.S. Olympic and Paralympic programs and in National Governing Bodies is required, with clear rules on pay, benefits, and support and limited exceptions for merit or need.
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- Athletes: Female and male athletes must receive equivalent compensation, wages, benefits, medical care, travel, and expense reimbursement from funds the organization gives athletes. The law still allows differences based on merit, performance, seniority, or quantity of play and permits extra support to address outside-income gaps or develop underperforming programs.
- Organizations: The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee and each National Governing Body must advocate to international federations and event organizers to equalize prizes, compensation, funding, and other support. The USOPC must require NGBs to attain and maintain full compliance as a condition of certification within a one-year implementation timeline.
- Transparency: The USOPC and each NGB must file annual reports with detailed data on stipends and bonuses disaggregated by gender, race, and professional-team status to document compliance and progress.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Equal pay for Team USA athletes
When a sport has separate men's and women's programs, the USOPC and each national governing body must give equal pay, benefits, medical care, travel, and expense reimbursement to athletes who represent Team USA in international amateur events. This covers money and support they provide directly to athletes and does not include prizes tied to performance. They may consider merit, performance, seniority, or play time when setting terms. They may also offer better terms to close outside income gaps, build underdeveloped programs, or meet a documented personal need. These rules take effect upon enactment.
Athletes can keep outside sponsorship money
The law keeps all federal, state, and local rights in place. Athletes and teams can take money for name, image, and likeness from sponsors outside the USOPC or a governing body. They can accept outside endorsements and promotional deals even if the same offers are not made to the other gender. These protections apply upon enactment.
One-year deadline and annual pay reports
Within 1 year of enactment, the USOPC must fully comply and require each governing body to comply to keep certification. The USOPC and every governing body must submit yearly compliance reports. Reports must show median, minimum, and maximum stipends and bonuses, broken out by gender, race, and whether an athlete plays on a pro team. Governing bodies must send their reports to both the USOPC and Congress.
Team USA must push for equal prizes
The USOPC and each national governing body must work with affected athletes to press international federations and event organizers to make prizes, pay, funding, and support equal for women and men. This duty begins upon enactment. It is advocacy and does not change what those groups pay today.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Cantwell, Maria [D-WA]
WA • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Capito, Shelley Moore [R-WV]
WV • R
Sponsored 7/13/2021
Sen. Lummis, Cynthia M. [R-WY]
WY • R
Sponsored 7/20/2021
Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]
MN • D
Sponsored 7/20/2021
Roll Call Votes
house vote • 12/21/2022
On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass
Yes: 350 • No: 59