Jerry Nadler: “I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Speaker, in 1963, when the Equal Pay Act was signed into law, women earned 59…”

“I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Speaker, in 1963, when the Equal Pay Act was signed into law, women earned 59 cents on the dollar compared to men. In the 56 years since, that gap has only closed by 21 cents. Women still make only 80 cents on the dollar compared to their male counterparts and earn less than men in nearly every single occupation. The pay gap is even more extreme for women of color. Over the course of an entire career, that gap results in women losing millions of dollars in earnings compared to their male counterparts. In today's economy, in which women make up more than half of the workforce and are the sole or co-breadwinner in half of American families, that is simply unacceptable. Being paid fairly for your work is a fundamental issue of fairness and freedom. Pay disparity can limit women's career choices and their financial independence, but equal pay enables women to save for retirement, to build careers, to buy homes, and to support their families. Today, I am proud to vote for the Paycheck Fairness Act, legislation I have cosponsored in every Congress since 1997. This legislation gets us closer, at last, to fulfilling the promise of equal pay for equal work and finally ensuring that women have the ability to fight back against wage discrimination and close the wage gap.…”