Dingell Calls for Passage of Paycheck Fairness Act on Equal Pay Day

Press Release

Today, Congressman John D. Dingell (MI-12) marked April 9, 2013 as Equal Pay Day by calling for immediate House passage of H.R. 377, the Paycheck Fairness Act, legislation Dingell has cosponsored to establish pay equity for women and end gender wage disparities in the United States.

The average American woman earns $0.77 for every $1.00 earned by a man in the very same position. In the Detroit metro area, the amount falls even lower to $0.74 for every $1.00.

"Equal pay for equal work just makes sense, and it's unfortunate that we still must work so hard to chip away at the glass ceiling that continues to exist," said Dingell. "Equal Pay Day is held in April because it marks the precise time that the average woman's salary finally catches up to what a man was paid for the same exact work in the previous year. It's appalling to me that 50 years after passage of the Equal Pay Act, we are still facing these inequalities and unacceptable instances."

Dingell has fought to enact the Paycheck Fairness Act as one of his top priorities in recent years. In 2008 and again in 2009, the Democratic-led House succeeded in passing the bill, but in both Congresses, Senate Republicans blocked the measure. Similarly, in 2012, Republicans in both the House and Senate voted to block the bill.

Dingell also worked to pass the Lilly Ledbetter Act in January 2009, which was the first bill signed by President Obama. The law allows women to challenge unfair pay in court, but Dingell says more should be done to end any gender inequity in wages.

"The Paycheck Fairness Act is common sense legislation that does right by our working families, ensuring that each and every family can rely on fair wages to make ends meet and provide for the household," added Dingell. "This Equal Pay Day, I call on House and Senate leadership to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act, send it to the President's desk for signature, and end this unfair and unlawful disparity that sets women back, sets our families back, and deserves no place in our country in this day and age."

Source