On the recordApril 9, 2013
I stand with my colleagues to highlight Equal Pay Day and call on this body to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act. Equal pay for equal work not only adheres to our country's founding principles of justice and equality, but it makes a huge difference to the families in Wisconsin. In my district, women are paid 81 cents to the dollar that men earn, and across the State of Wisconsin, the number is even lower, 78 cents. That equals $10,324 less in wages a year between a man and a woman. What does $10,324 mean? Well, it means almost 2,800 gallons of gas. It means more than a year's worth of groceries and almost a year's worth of rent. The pay gap has a real effect on the families of Wisconsin. Almost 230,000 households in Wisconsin are headed by women, and almost a third of those fall below the poverty line. Eliminating the wage gap would provide much-needed assistance to women whose families depend on those salaries. I am proud to cosponsor the Paycheck Fairness Act, which makes important strides towards ensuring that women finally receive equal pay for equal work. This bill improves the lives of Wisconsin women, Wisconsin families, and Wisconsin communities. We have an urgent moral need to pass it. ____________________
