Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I rise today to stand in support of equal pay for equal work. Forty-nine years ago, the Equal Pay Act was signed into law. Yet, gender-based wage discrimination remains a serious problem for women in the U.S. workplace and it has very real implications for their families. Today we will vote on legislation that is a matter of basic justice and fairness. The Paycheck Fairness Act will update the Equal Pay Act by closing loopholes and strengthening incentives to prevent pay discrimination by employers. Without a doubt, the Equal Pay Act has helped women achieve significant progress in the workplace. However, the gender pay gap remains just as real today as it was almost 50 years ago. It is true: Although women make up about half of today's workforce, women still earn only about 77 percent of what men earn. That's wrong. Women in the workplace, the women who head households or earn the only paycheck in a family--the women in the trenches of this economy-- know this fundamental truth: The gender wage gap exists--it is not a myth. It has implications for families and our economy. It has been with us too long and we have a chance and obligation to fix it. I have heard lots of stories about paycheck disparities in California. I know my colleagues have heard similar stories from women in their states. In-depth studies reveal the existence of gender pay disparities, regardless of age, occupation, education or marital status.…”