A fired-up U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., from an October conference on budget issues is going after the issue of pay equity.
U.S Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-3, is advocating Congress pass the Paycheck Fairness Act after an American Association of University Women report ranked the states by the gender-based wage gap. Connecticut came in at 25th out of 50 states, with women making just 78 cents for every dollar made by a man.
“Today’s AAUW report is yet more evidence that the pay gap is real and undeniable, not a distraction, or a product of women’s choices. This is not just a women’s issue—the pay gap affects everyone when a woman’s diminished paycheck inhibits her ability to put food on the table or gas in their car. And with women living longer than men, discriminatory pay practices mean our seniors will continue to struggle, increasing the burden on both their families and taxpayers.
“Congress needs to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act to relieve the financial pressures women face in all stages of their careers. Republicans do American families a great disservice by blocking the legislation, burying their heads in the sand, and claiming the wage gap is a myth. Our mothers, our sisters, and our daughters deserve better.”
DeLauro is the original author of the Paycheck Fairness Act, which she first introduced in 1997, and has reintroduced in every Congress since. The law would put real teeth into the Equal Pay Act of 1963 to ensure women receive equal pay for equal work. The Paycheck Fairness Act would put an end to pay secrecy, strengthen workers’ ability to challenge discrimination and bring equal pay law into line with other civil rights laws. President Obama has said he would sign the legislation should it come to his desk.
