Kelly Ayotte: “I rise because it is Equal Pay Day, and I would like to talk about the importance of finally ending gender-based…”

“I rise because it is Equal Pay Day, and I would like to talk about the importance of finally ending gender-based discrimination in wages. It is unfortunate that in the year 2016, this is still an issue we need to address in this country, but it is. I had the privilege of serving as our State's first female attorney general. I think it is the right thing to do and the obvious thing to do, and under our laws this already exists--that equal pay for equal work should be the standard. All of us should be judged in the workplace by our experience, our qualifications, and our capability of doing our job and nothing else. Women face many challenges in balancing work and family life. I know that firsthand, being the working mom of two young kids. On top of those challenges, no woman, whether she is a mother or not, should ever face gender-based pay discrimination in the workplace. Today, more than half of New Hampshire's women serve as the primary or coearner in their household. That just underscores the serious need to address this problem. Men and women should receive equal pay for equal work. It is that simple. Your salary should be based on how you do your job. Because of that, I introduced the Gender Advancement in Pay Act, or GAP Act, along with Senators Capito, Portman, Burr, and Heller, and I thank my cosponsors for supporting this effort.…”