Political Quotes

“I come to the floor today to recognize an important anniversary. Fifty years ago Congress passed the Equal Pay Act, a law that was to ensure pay equity for women in the workplace. This landmark legislation was signed into law by President Kennedy on June 10, 1963, and prohibited discrimination on the basis of sex in the payment of wages by employers. The goals of the legislation were groundbreaking. It was the first time Congress acted on this issue, addressing a real and growing problem as more women entered the workforce. Congress stepped up to the plate and took the first attempt at fixing outright discrimination that was bound to have an impact on working families across America. Today we find ourselves in a similar place, in need of a solution because the Equal Pay Act is in need of fixing. It recently made big headlines when a Pew research study was released saying that women are the primary earner in 4 of 10 households today, many of these women being the sole earners. But what was missed in this discussion is the impact that the pay gap is continuing to have on these households who are dependent on the salaries of women. The pay gap results in $4,000 less per year for working families and $434,000 less over a lifetime. Think of what these families could accomplish if they got simply what they were owed. With rising costs for childcare, medical care, and filling up the family car, these families are held down by unfair and unjust pay policies.…”