As We Mark Equal Pay Day, Rep. Negrete McLeod Calls for Enactment of the Paycheck Fairness Act

Statement

As we mark Equal Pay Day on April 9, Congresswoman Gloria Negrete McLeod (D-Chino) said that more needs to be done to close the wage gap that still exists between women and men -- including enactment of the Paycheck Fairness Act.

"Equal Pay Day symbolizes when, more than three months into the year, women's wages finally catch up to what men were paid in the previous year," said Congresswoman Negrete McLeod. "Nationwide, women earn only 77 cents for every dollar earned by men, despite the fact that the Equal Pay Act will mark its 50th anniversary in June. That is why Congress must act and pass a commonsense piece of legislation known as the Paycheck Fairness Act."

The Paycheck Fairness Act would strengthen and close loopholes in the nearly 50-year-old Equal Pay Act, including providing effective remedies to women who are not being paid equal wages for doing equal work.

"Equal pay is not only a women's issue -- it's a family issue," explained Congresswoman Negrete McLeod. "Families increasingly rely on women's wages to make ends meet. With less take-home pay for women, it means less money for everyday expenses of their families such as buying groceries, or paying for rent, child care, and doctors' visits. The Paycheck Fairness Act would strengthen the Equal Pay Act of 1963 not only helping women gain pay parity, but also strengthening a family's economic well-being."

Congresswoman Gloria Negrete McLeod is a co-sponsor of H.R. 377: The Paycheck Fairness Act.

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