WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Lois Capps (D-CA), Chair of the Democratic Women’s Working Group released the following statement regarding Equal Pay Day.

“Madam Speaker, I rise to call attention to Equal Pay Day.

“This is the day when the average wages of a female worker catch up to the average wages of a male worker during the previous year.  That’s right, the Equal Pay Act was signed into law by President Kennedy in 1963, yet here we are in 2008 and women still earn only 77 cents to every dollar a man earns.

“When women earn less, their entire family suffers.  When we allow women to be paid unequal wages for equal work, we as a society are tolerating discrimination.  That is why we must take action to close the wage gap, and treat all workers equally.

“Unfortunately, the Supreme Court’s decision last year in Ledbetter v. Goodyear further compounded the difficulties that already face working women and their families due to pay inequity.  In a deeply flawed decision, the Supreme Court ruled that a worker must file a charge of pay discrimination within 180 days of an employer’s initial decision to pay someone less for discriminatory reasons.  This clearly went against the intent of the Civil Rights Act and I was proud that the House acted quickly to correct this misguided decision by passing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which provides more effective remedies to women who are not being paid equal wages for doing equal work.

“This week, the Senate will consider this important legislation -- how fitting that it occurs during the same week as Equal Pay Day.

“I urge my colleagues in the Senate to pass the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act immediately and urge the President to quickly sign it into law for the benefit of millions of hard working women and their families.”

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Pictured above: (center) Congresswoman Capps meets with Central Coast firefighters to discuss emergency preparedness.