Judy Chu: “Imagine going to work every day for decades and giving your blood, sweat and tears to a company and then finding out…”

“Imagine going to work every day for decades and giving your blood, sweat and tears to a company and then finding out your male colleagues were getting higher raises and making more money for years. That's what happened to Lilly Ledbetter, and she is one of the lucky ones because she was able to prove that she was paid less because she was a woman. The effect of lesser pay is immense. For a single woman, it can mean the loss of up to $2 million over a career, not to mention lower pension and Social Security payments for the rest of her life. Today, more women are graduating from college than men, yet full-time working women with the same major and same degree earn only 80 percent compared to their male colleagues. That is unacceptable. At this rate, my three young nieces will be receiving Social Security before they get the equal pay they deserve. But I refuse to wait that long. That is why the Senate must pass the Paycheck Fairness Act which stiffens penalties for employers who discriminate based on gender. I stand today to urge the Senate to support the women of America. There must be equal pay for equal work.”