[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 80 (Tuesday, June 10, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1163-E1164]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             EQUAL PAY ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. BERNARD SANDERS

                               of vermont

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 10, 1997

  Mr. SANDERS. Mr. Speaker, today marks the 34th anniversary of the 
Equal Pay Act, the original legislation to address the wage disparity 
between men and women. I am of the opinion, Mr. Speaker, that while the 
Equal Pay Act is a necessary piece of legislation, it has not yet lived 
up to its promise of ensuring equal pay for equal work.
  I recently attended a rally held in my district commemorating Pay 
Inequity Day, which fell on April 11, 1997. Pay Inequity Day marks the 
day when working women's 1996-97 paychecks will, on average, finally 
equal what men earned in 1996 alone. This day falls over 4 months into 
1997. This is simply unacceptable.
  In my work as a Member of Congress, I often focus on the growing 
problem of income disparity and how the families of America are 
affected by this and the growing inequality of wealth in our country. 
In looking at the statistics we see that even 34 years after enacting 
the Equal Pay Act, the wage disparity between men and women still 
plagues this country. In 1995, women earned only 71 percent of wages 
earned by men. According to the National Academy of Sciences, between 
one-third and one-half of the wage difference between men and women 
cannot be explained by differences in experience, education, or other 
legitimate qualifications. Bureau of Labor Statistics data indicates 
that women earn equal pay in only 2 out of 90 detailed occupations.
  What does this mean for the American family? The picture is not good. 
Vermont families and families across the country are becoming more and 
more dependent on women's wages. Today, 40 percent of all working women 
have children under the age of 18--children who depend upon them for 
care, shelter, food, clothing, et cetera. Although most American 
families today must rely heavily on women's wages, women with the same 
qualifications as men continue to make less than their male 
counterparts.
  If we look closely at the wage gap between men and women over the 
years, we notice

[[Page E1164]]

that it narrowed slightly in the 1980's. Some may have looked at that 
as a gain for women. The truth is however, that the narrowing of the 
gap was largely due to a decline in men's wages. Now how does that fare 
for American families?
  As for my district, according to data supplied by the Institute for 
Women's Policy Research, Vermont ranks 3d in the Nation for wage 
equity. The Vermont female/male ratio is 75 percent while the U.S. 
average is 68 percent. Vermont shares its ranking with Alaska and sits 
below only Washington, DC. Some may try to indicate that since Vermont 
is ranked third, we do not have a problem and we can relax. I say that 
is just not acceptable. It is our job to respond that no pay inequity 
is acceptable--not 68 percent, not 75 percent, not 95 percent. Women 
should expect and receive 100 percent--equal pay as men for equal work.

                          ____________________