60 years ago today, the Equal Pay Act was signed into law by President John F. Kennedy. And yet, we as a nation have not fulfilled our goal of equal pay for equal work.
The gender pay gap still exists and is even larger for women of color. In 2020, the average woman working full-time, year round, earned 83 cents for every $1 their average male counterpart made.
Over the course of a year, this pay gap can add up to thousands of dollars in lost earnings. And over the course of a career, it can add up to hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost earnings.
Frankly, it is unconscionable that in 2023 we are still fighting for paycheck fairness. Equal pay is a matter of justice, fairness, and respect — it’s about living up to our values. Will you make a contribution of any amount to stand with me in fighting for paycheck fairness?
In the last Congress, I supported the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would require employers to prove that pay disparities exist for legitimate, job-related reasons; provide assistance to all businesses to help them with equal pay practices; make improvements to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s and the Department of Labor’s tools for enforcing the Equal Pay Act; and more.
We must retake the House, hold on to the presidency, and defend and expand the Senate in 2024 if we’re going to finally pass the Paycheck Fairness Act and make it law. Will you make a contribution of any amount to keep me in the House fighting for paycheck fairness?
Congress must heed the voices of America’s women and take action to close the pay gap. Equal pay is not simply a woman’s issue, it’s an American issue.
Sincerely,
Congressman Sanford Bishop
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