Lori Trahan: “Before addressing the pending amendment, I want to thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott) for his leadership and…”

“Before addressing the pending amendment, I want to thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott) for his leadership and also express my profound appreciation for my friend from Connecticut. She has been a tireless champion over the years for equal pay on behalf of those who have been discriminated against unfairly. Madam Chair, I imagine that most of us agree that unfair pay discrimination needs to be stopped. Unfortunately, despite the progress we have made in offering greater opportunities to more and more Americans, pay discrimination persists, and, at times, it occurs in stealth ways that cannot be easily detected. That, in fact, is a key reason why I oppose this amendment. Keeping this bill intact is necessary to prevent the kind of unfair discrimination that occurs when one employee is compensated less than another despite doing the same job just as well for just as long and with the same credentials. I worked in the private sector for 13 years before coming to Congress. I know firsthand that unfair pay disparities still occur. Across industries, I worked with employers to confront this inequality, to bring more women to the decisionmaking table and create work environments where people of any sex, gender, race, or ethnicity were truly empowered. Pay discrimination derails a workplace. It holds back talent and undermines trust, a toxic mix for any business.…”