Titus Applauds Passage of Equal Pay Bills

Press Release

Congresswoman Dina Titus of Nevada's Third District applauded the passage today of two critical bills that will help ensure hard-working women earn equal pay for equal work. The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and the Paycheck Fairness Act, both of which Congresswoman Titus was proud to co-sponsor, passed in the House with overwhelming support.

"The House of Representatives is starting the 111th Congress off on the right foot with the passage of these two bills which are so important to Nevada's women and working families, especially during this tough economic time," Congresswoman Titus said. "With families in my District struggling to make ends meet in the face of rising costs from health care to education, now more than ever we must ensure that women in the workplace earn the pay they deserve. I am pleased that after working so hard on this issue at the state level, I had the opportunity to cast my vote in support of this legislation during my first week in a Congress that is determined to restore our nation's economic security."

The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act addresses a recent Supreme Court decision that made it more difficult for Americans to pursue pay discrimination claims. The bill clarifies that every paycheck or other compensation that has resulted from an earlier discriminatory pay decision constitutes a violation of the Civil Rights Act and provides workers 180 days to pursue legal action.

The Paycheck Fairness Act strengthens the Equal Pay Act and closes loopholes that have allowed employers to avoid responsibility for discriminatory pay. While the wage gap between men and women has narrowed, gender-based wage discrimination still remains a significant problem for women. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, women make only 78 cents for every dollar earned by a man.

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