National Equal Pay Day

Floor Speech

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Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. President, I come to the floor today on Equal Pay Day to stand up and speak out about an issue that impacts women and families in every State across this great country. I rise to give voice to the fact that there is paycheck inequality for working women across this country, and it is time that we do something about it.

Working women make up over 50 percent of our workforce, and they are working harder than ever to get ahead. But far too many are barely getting by, and far too many women and children are living in poverty. In Wisconsin, the economy is lagging behind other States. Household incomes are falling and communities across our State are experiencing job loss and layoffs. In fact, recent reports have concluded that poverty in Wisconsin has reached alarming levels.

The least we can do is to level the playing field and give women a fair shot at getting ahead, because they deserve equal pay for equal work. So I am proud to join several of my colleagues today to deliver a call for action to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act.

I would like to share the story of Shannon. Shannon is a single mother of three from Two Rivers, WI. She is working hard to support her family. In order to help her family get ahead, Shannon has continued her education to advance her career as an interpreter in a school. But she faces the grim reality that women teachers are often paid less than their male counterparts.

It is not just teaching. When we look at men and women working equivalent jobs across different industries, women are making less than their male counterparts across the country. This paycheck inequality is holding women back, and it is holding our entire economy back. Closing the gender pay gap would give Shannon and her family more financial freedom to better deal with the daily issues that working moms face. Whether it is an unexpected car problem or children outgrowing their clothing and their shoes, whether it is help to pay off student loan debt or the ability to save a little bit of their paycheck to ensure that their kids have a chance for a higher education, working families across America need paycheck fairness to ensure they have a fair shot at getting ahead.

Millions of American women get up every day to work hard for that middle class dream--a good job that pays the bills, health care coverage you can rely on, a home that you can call your own, and a secure retirement. But instead, gender discrimination in pay is holding women and their families back.

Let's pass the Paycheck Fairness Act and strengthen families and our economy by providing working women with the tools they need to close the gender pay gap. By taking action, we will show the American people our commitment to building an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top.

Before I yield, I wish to take a moment to thank and recognize the senior Senator from Maryland, Barbara Mikulski, for her tremendous leadership on this issue. It has been an honor to serve alongside such a champion for women and families, and I am looking forward to continuing this particular fight together and winning this fight together.

I thank the Presiding Officer, and I yield back.

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