Murphy Commemorates the 50th Anniversary of the Equal Pay Act

Statement

Today, U.S. Representative Patrick E. Murphy (FL-18) recognized the 50th anniversary of the Equal Pay Act being signed into law by President John F. Kennedy. Although this milestone law made great strides towards equal pay for women, a significant wage gap still exists. According to the Census Bureau, as of 2011 a woman in Florida still only makes 82.6 cent for every dollar a man makes. Murphy is a proud co-sponsor of the Paycheck Fairness Act, which reinforces the Equal Pay Act by providing solutions and protections to women who are not being paid equally for identical work.

"When President Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act into law, he stated that 'when women enter the labor force they will find equality in their pay envelopes.' Unfortunately, fifty years later, women are still looking for that equality," said Rep. Murphy. "Women make up almost half of the American workforce and the disparity between men and women's wages needs to be recognized and corrected. This isn't just a women's issue -- it's a family issue, an equality issue, and an economic issue.

"As we commemorate the Equal Pay Act today we must recommit ourselves to righting this wrong, which is why I am once again calling on House Leadership to immediately take up the Paycheck Fairness Act so we can at last achieve the paycheck equality that President Kennedy spoke of 50 years ago today."

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