Rep. John Lewis on Equal Pay Day

"Equal Pay Day is a solemn reminder of the deep pay gaps that still exist between men and women in this nation. Women will have to work an additional 103 days a year before their earnings match the annual salary of a man in the same job.  In 2016, most woman earn an average of 79 cents for every dollar a man makes in this country.  That discrepancy costs them an average of $430,480 by the time they turn 65.  For women of color, the damage is even deeper:   African American women earn 60 cents and Latinas earn 55 cents for every dollar earned by white men.

"This inequality disparages the significant contributions of women in the workforce.  It suggests that no matter their education, their years of experience, or their competitiveness in the workforce, their work is less valuable than a man’s. Equal pay for equal work should be the norm in a democratic society. We must not rest until gender-based discrimination is a memory of what used to be, not a reminder of what is. On this day, let us reaffirm our commitment to equal pay for equal work for women and for every American."