Megan Rapinoe and the United States Women’s National Team are officially headed to Congress after winning the 2019 Women’s World Cup.
Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer announced Tuesday that Rapinoe had accepted his invitation to visit the Senate at some point in the future.
“What they have accomplished on and off the pitch is a credit to our nation,” Schumer said. “Millions of young girls and young boys look up to these players. Millions of women, sports fans or not, admire the light they’ve shown on the disparities between the men’s and women’s game, part of a broader fight for equal treatment and fair pay in the workplace for all women.”
Schumer also called for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to bring a bill making it easier for women to get equal pay in the workplace to the floor, with the stated hope that the bill could be passed during the USWNT’s visit.
8 PHOTOSUSWNT players, fans celebrate World Cup winSee GalleryUSWNT players, fans celebrate World Cup win
Megan Rapinoe holds the Women’s World Cup trophy as the U.S. women’s soccer team is celebrated with a parade along the Canyon of Heroes, Wednesday, July 10, 2019, in New York. The U.S. national team beat the Netherlands 2-0 to capture a record fourth Women’s World Cup title. Wednesday, July 10, 2019. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
Construction workers watch as members of the U.S. women’s soccer team is celebrated with a ticker tape parade along the Canyon of Heroes, Wednesday, July 10, 2019, in New York. The U.S. national team beat the Netherlands 2-0 to capture a record fourth Women’s World Cup title.(AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)
U.S. women’s soccer team player Megan Rapinoe pours champagne for an unidentified teammate as Alex Morgan, rear left, watches during a ticker tape parade along the Canyon of Heroes, Wednesday, July 10, 2019, in New York. The U.S. national team beat the Netherlands 2-0 to capture a record fourth Women’s World Cup title.(AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)
A fan on a float poses during a ticker tape parade along the Canyon of Heroes honoring the U.S. national women’s soccer team, Wednesday, July 10, 2019, in New York. The U.S. national team beat the Netherlands 2-0 to capture a record fourth Women’s World Cup title. (AP Photo/Steve Luciano)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JULY 10:A Fan looks on during the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team Victory Parade and City Hall Ceremony on July 10, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JULY 10: (L-R) United States Soccer Federation president Carlos Cordeiro, Megan Rapinoe, Allie Long and Alex Morgan celebrate while riding on a float during The U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team Victory Parade and City Hall Ceremony down the Canyon of Heroes on July 10, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JULY 10: Megan Rapinoe signs a vest that United States Soccer Federation president Carlos Cordeiro holds while riding on a float during The U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team Victory Parade and City Hall Ceremony down the Canyon of Heroes on July 10, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JULY 10:Megan Rapinoe celebrates during the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team Victory Parade and City Hall Ceremony on July 10, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)Up Next
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Schumer, Pelosi and AOC have all invited USWNT
Schumer isn’t the only politician to invite the team to Congress. The first Democrat to strike was Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who invited the team to tour the House of Representatives after its quarterfinal win over France. Rapinoe quickly accepted.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi also invited all USWNT players to visit the Capitol, either as a team or individually, following their win in the finals.
Rapinoe: ‘We’re all part of the same movement’
Rapinoe thanked Schumer for the invite while speaking with reporters on Monday, saying the team was happy to visit Congress. Rapinoe also noted the team has no interest in going to the White House, which shouldn’t be a surprise for anyone at this point.
“I think everybody is with me. We don’t want to go to the White House. So I figured that’s why the invitation hasn’t come, maybe he sent it by mail and it’s just slowly to get here? I doubt it,” Rapinoe said, per Reuters. “I think we will, at some point, be going to Washington. We’ve had so much support from so many politicians, from so many people there.
“Part of me thinks we’re all part of the same movement. That’s great, I love that. Interested to see what McConnell does. Thank you Chuck Schumer for inviting us out. We’re very happy to accept your invitation to come.”
President Donald Trump had previously extended a tentative invite to the team whether or not they won the World Cup, scolding Rapinoe for a perceived “disrespect” in the process. He also congratulated the team after it triumphed over the Netherlands in the World Cup final.
When asked what her message would be to a president she has no interest in meeting during an interview on CNN, Rapinoe
“I think that I would say that ‘Your message is excluding people,’” Rapinoe said. “‘You’re excluding me. You’re excluding people that look like me. You’re excluding people of color. You’re excluding, you know, Americans that maybe support you.’
“I think that we need to have a reckoning with the message that you have, and what you’re saying about, ‘Make America great again. I think that you’re harking back to an era that was not great for everyone. It might have been great for a few people, and maybe America is great for a few people right now, but it’s not great for enough Americans in this world.”
12 PHOTOSMegan Rapinoe through the yearsSee GalleryMegan Rapinoe through the years
Megan Rapinoe, a member of the United States women’s national soccer team, speaks to reporters during a news conference in New York, Friday, May 24, 2019. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
New Zealand defender Ria Percival (2) steals the ball from United States midfielder Megan Rapinoe (15) during the first half of an international friendly soccer match in Commerce City, Colo., Friday, Sept. 15, 2017. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
United States’ Megan Rapinoe, right, celebrates with Sydney Leroux, left, after the U.S. beat Japan 5-2 in the FIFA Women’s World Cup soccer championship in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Sunday, July 5, 2015. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
From left, United States’ Megan Rapinoe, Lauren Holiday, and Carli Lloyd celebrate after Lloyd scored her second goal of the match against Japan during the first half of the FIFA Women’s World Cup soccer championship in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Sunday, July 5, 2015. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND – JULY 28: Carli Lloyd (R) of USA celebrates with team-mates Megan Rapinoe (C) and Heather Mittsafter scoring their third goal during the Women’s Football first round Group G match between United States and Colombia on Day 1 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Hampden Park on July 28, 2012 in Glasgow, Scotland.(Photo by Stanley Chou /Getty Images)
HARRISON, NJ – JUNE 20:Megan Rapinoe #15 of the USA plays a corner kick againstKorea Republic during their game at Red Bull Arena on June 20, 2013 in Harrison, New Jersey.(Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 20:U.S. women’s national soccer team player Megan Rapinoe poses for a portrait at the USOC Rio Olympics Shoot at Quixote Studios on November 20, 2015 in Los Angeles, California.(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CA – JULY 14:(L-R) Professional soccer players Becky Sauerbrunn, Kelley O’Hara, Megan Rapinoe, Ali Krieger, Ashlyn Harris, Alyssa Naher and Abby Wambach attend BODY at ESPYs at Milk Studios on July 14, 2015 in Hollywood, California.(Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for ESPN)
REIMS, FRANCE – JUNE 24: Megan Rapinoe of the USA celebrates scoring a goal from the penalty spot after a VARduring the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup France Round Of 16 match between Spain and USA at Stade Auguste Delaune on June 24, 2019 in Reims, France. (Photo by Daniela Porcelli/Getty Images)
REIMS, FRANCE – JUNE 11: Mallory Pugh of the USA celebrates with teammate Megan Rapinoeafter scoring her team’s eleventh goal during the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup France group F match between USA and Thailand at Stade Auguste Delaune on June 11, 2019 in Reims, France. (Photo by Alex Caparros – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA – MAY 12: Megan Rapinoe #15 of United States is challenged by Lebohang Ramalepe #2 of South Africa during their International Friendly at Levi’s Stadium on May 12, 2019 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Robert Reiners/Getty Images)
United States’ Megan Rapinoe celebrates after scoring her side’s second goal during the Women’s World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between France and the United States at the Parc des Princes, in Paris, Friday, June 28, 2019. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)Up Next
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