Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Equal Pay Day. This day marks how far into this year that a woman must work to earn what a man earned up to December 31 of last year. In the United States, a woman is paid 20 percent less than her male counterpart. In California, a woman earns 86 percent of what men earn. Pay disparities in California are even more stark for women of color. Latinas make just 56 percent of what a man makes. In order to continue to close the pay gap, Congress must pass the Paycheck Fairness Act. That law would strengthen the Equal Pay Act by requiring employers to demonstrate that wage differences are not due to gender, and they would hold employers accountable for discriminatory actions. This bill, which I proudly cosponsored, is only one step forward. Congress must also pass legislation to address family leave and fight to protect a woman's right to choose, because, ultimately, the challenges and burdens women face are shared by all Americans, and when half of our citizenry is in any way impeded from their full potential, all of our country suffers. ____________________”