Congress to Vote on Fair Pay

As one of the first actions of the new 111th Congress, the House is expected to vote on two important pieces of pay equity legislation in the very near future: the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and the Paycheck Fairness Act. The national YWCA asks all supporters and advocates to please contact your Representative and tell them to vote yes on these important bills.

Though the Equal Pay Act was signed into law in 1964, pay discrimination is still prevalent, and the Supreme Court has recently taken a backwards approach to handling these claims. Pay equity legislation is necessary to allow individuals to better fight pay discrimination strengthen penalties for violation, compel employers to explain wage gaps, and develop training for women and girls about salary negotiation.

With a record 70 million women in the workforce, wage discrimination hurts the majority of American families. In addition, wage discrimination lowers total lifetime earnings, reducing women’s benefits from Social Security and pension plans and inhibiting their ability to save not only for retirement but for other lifetime goals such as buying a home and paying for a college education.

Furthermore, the U.S. Department of Labor unemployment statistics show that women tend to be hurt first and worst during economic downturns. Promoting the economic security of all Americans is critical, especially in these tough times, and equal pay for equal work is a necessary step towards achieving this goal. Passage of both the Paycheck Fairness Act and the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act would go a long way towards ensuring pay equity for American women and families.

Action: Call the Capitol Switchboard at 1-202-224-3121 and ask to be connected to your Representative. Click here to find the name of your Representative.

Message: “My name is ____________ and I am a constituent. I strongly urge the Representative to vote yes on the Paycheck Fairness Act and the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act when they come to the floor this week. I also urge you to vote against any attempts to weaken these bills, including any motion to recommit. Thank you.”