Political Quotes

“Mr. President, today, we have an opportunity to take another long overdue step to close the wage gap between men and women. Equal pay for equal work should not be a Democratic nor a Republican issue but an American issue of basic fairness. It is shameful that gender discrimination still exists in our country and more so at a time when women make an ever-increasing number of heads of households. That is why I am proud to join Senator Mikulski as a cosponsor of the Paycheck Fairness Act. Vermont has been a leader in the fight of equal pay for equal work. According to a recent report by the American Association of University Women, the State of Vermont leads the Nation, second only to the District of Columbia, in equal pay issues, yet Vermont women still make just 84 cents on the dollar compared to their male counterparts. Over a decade ago, the Vermont Legislature passed legislation requiring equal pay for equal work, barring employers from retaliating against employees for disclosing the amount of their wages, and made it easier to file wage discrimination claims. Unfortunately, not all States offer these protections. The Paycheck Fairness Act is a step in the right direction to bring Vermont's inclusive example to the Federal level. The Paycheck Fairness Act sets out a clear path to address the systemic problems that result from pay disparities.…”