[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 46 (Tuesday, April 25, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E585]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        EQUAL PAY DAY STATEMENT

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                         HON. MICHAEL M. HONDA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 25, 2006

  Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the persistent gender 
pay gap. More than four decades ago, President Kennedy attempted to 
address pay disparities between men and women. The Equal Pay Act of 
1963 made it unlawful for employers to pay women lower wages than men 
for equivalent jobs. Unfortunately, this law has not eradicated pay 
inequality. On average, women still earn about 77 cents for every 
dollar earned by men. Though women earn about 18 cents more compared to 
men than they did in 1963, they still face significant and intolerable 
wage discrimination.
  Women of color face even greater discrimination on the payroll. In 
2004, African American women earned 67 cents for each dollar earned by 
white men, and Hispanic women earned a little over half of what white 
men earned. These pay differences persist even in equivalent positions 
for employees with the same levels of education and expertise.
  Worse yet, pay equality for some positions has actually lost ground 
in the past few years. Female managers earned less than their male 
counterparts in 2000 than they did in 1995. Studies have shown that 
even when women's career choices match those of men and they work the 
same number of hours in equivalent positions, they earn less than men.
  Wage inequality is a major indicator of gender discrimination in our 
country. As an original cosponsor of the Paycheck Fairness Act, H.R. 
1687, I feel that it is the duty of Congress to address this 
unacceptable gender disparity. The Paycheck Fairness Act would 
strengthen provisions of the original Equal Pay Act and would make 
filing for class action status less onerous.
  It is well past the time when women should be receiving fair wages 
for the work that they do. While the overall wage disparity between men 
and women has decreased since the 1960s, progress has been 
frustratingly slow. I believe that with appropriate congressional 
action we can finally reach wage equality for all Americans.

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