Washington. D.C. - Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, House Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller, and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro held a media availability in the Capitol late this afternoon following House passage of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to end pay discrimination. The House approved the measure late this afternoon by a vote of 250 to 177. The bill will now be sent to President Obama, who will sign it into law later this week.
Below are the Speaker's opening remarks:
'Good afternoon. When the Supreme Court made its very unfortunate decision about Lilly Ledbetter and her case, in dissent, Justice Ginsburg said, 'this is not the first time the court has ordered a cramped interpretation of Title VII incompatible with the statute's broad remedial purpose.''
'She went on to say other things and concluded, 'Once again, the ball is in Congress's court. As in 1991, the legislature may act to correct this court's parsimonious reading of Title VII,' end of quote from Justice Ginsburg.
'Today, with the passage of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, Congress has taken a bold step to move away from that parsimonious interpretation by the U.S. Supreme Court. In doing so, it has injected fairness, reason and common sense back into our policy.
'Lilly Ledbetter, with her incredible -- her wonderful story, her tremendous courage, and her eloquence in presenting her case, has changed the law in our country for the good of all Americans.
'And I was just on the phone with the President. He called to congratulate us on it and reminded me that not only was he delighted with the passage of the bill and looking forward to signing it -- and I think he told you that, Steny, in his conversation with you earlier -- but that he danced with Lilly Ledbetter at the Neighborhood Inaugural Ball last week.
'And so it's really quite a joyful occasion for us when Congress acts in a very positive way on behalf of the American people, in ways that are relevant to their lives. And I want to commend Steny Hoyer, for whom this has been a priority, and the two champions for this issue in the Congress, the chairman of the Education and Labor Committee, George Miller, and the relentless, persistent, always dissatisfied until she gets her way for America's working families, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro.
'I'm going to yield to Mr. Hoyer.'
