Woolsey Marks 45th Anniversary of Equal Pay Act

Press Release

Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), the Chair of the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, today issued the following statement to mark the 45th anniversary of the Equal Pay Act. Earlier this Congress Woolsey's subcommittee held a hearing on the state of equal pay for women, and found that, despite narrow gains, women still earn far less than their male counterparts.

"Forty-five years ago, President Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act into law guaranteeing that women receive the same pay for the same work as their male counterparts. The Equal Pay Act wasn't just a change in the law, it was recognition that a woman's work is just as important as a man's, and that equal work deserves equal pay.

"After all these years, that right still remains out of reach for working women. Women and minorities continue to be discriminated against in the workplace, receiving a fraction of the pay of men. In fact, nearly fifty years after discrimination was outlawed, women still earn between 77 and 81 cents for every dollar earned by their male counterparts. It's a disgrace.

"As a former single mother who depended on welfare to bridge low wages and the needs of my three children, I know what it feels like to have a family depend upon a single source of income. Today, single women who are heads of households are twice as likely to live in poverty as single fathers, and closing the wage gap could eradicate poverty for these families.

"Equal pay can also mean economic security for women later in life. Currently, women are less likely than older men to receive pension income, and when they do, they only receive one-half the benefits of men.

"We cannot let this stand.

"That's why I will continue to work with my colleagues in Washington to confront this issue head on, and ensure that all Americans, regardless of gender, receive an equal paycheck for an equal day's work."

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