U.S. Rep. Meeks Statement on Fifth Anniversary of Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act
U.S. Rep. Meeks Statement on Fifth Anniversary of Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act
Excerpt: Democrats stand unified and ready to vote for this critical bill, but House Republicans in both the House and the Senate have voted in the past to block the bill. I am hopeful that this year, in light of the President’s State Of The Union speech last night where he said ‘when women succeed, America succeeds,’ Congress will come together and pass this important bill to advance women’s equality.
WASHINGTON, DC-- Congressman Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05) released the following statement today commemorating the fifth anniversary of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act being signed into law:
Five years ago today, President Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act into law; this important law restored basic protections against pay discrimination for women and other workers, and ensures that women facing unfair treatment would be able to get justice in court.
On this important anniversary, we should continue to work towards the American ideal that equal work deserves equal pay regardless of gender, race or background. Even today, women are earning an average of 77 cents to every dollar a man earns, not only is this harmful to the millions of women striving for equality in the workplace, but it is harmful to families, businesses, and communities. The next step to fulfilling workplace equality for women is passing The Paycheck Fairness Act, which would strengthen and close loopholes in the 50-year-old Equal Pay Act, including providing effective options to women who are not being compensated equally to their male counterparts.
Democrats stand unified and ready to vote for this critical bill, but House Republicans in both the House and the Senate have voted in the past to block the bill. I am hopeful that this year, in light of the President’s State Of The Union speech last night where he said ‘when women succeed, America succeeds,’ Congress will come together and pass this important bill to advance women’s equality.