[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 67 (Wednesday, April 25, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E852]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  H.R. 1338, THE PAYCHECK FAIRNESS ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MICHAEL M. HONDA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 24, 2007

  Mr. HONDA. Madam Speaker, today I rise in recognition of Equal Pay 
Day. Issues of equity and fairness are integral to the strength of our 
democracy. Pay equity, and its effect on every person in the U.S., is a 
vital issue and it is unconscionable that in the 21st century, the vast 
majority of women are still not paid fairly for their work. I look 
forward to the day when every person, regardless of their gender, race 
or ethnicity, is receiving equal pay for equal work.
  According to the Census, women are paid, on average, 77 cents per one 
dollar earned by a man. Racial and ethnic disparities exacerbate this 
difference with African American women making 66 cents, Latinas making 
55 cents and Asian American women making 80 cents. A recent study by 
the American Association of University Women reveals that the income 
gap between men and women widens dramatically following graduation from 
college, growing from a 20 percent difference immediately following 
graduation to a 31 percent difference ten years later. This gap 
persisted despite controls for numbers of hours worked, parenthood, and 
occupation choice.
  I am a proud co-sponsor of H.R. 1338, the Paycheck Fairness Act, 
which will improve the remedies available to victims of wage 
discrimination based on sex. Passage of this legislation will be one of 
many societal changes we have seen over the past one hundred years of 
women's struggle for equality in America, but there remains much to be 
done. The current income gap continues to stand in the way of true 
equality and as a Nation we must work to close the gap faster than the 
current, abysmally slow, 1.5 cents per year. There are rays of sunshine 
to be seen on the horizon, but we cannot consider this particular 
battle won. I look forward to continuing the struggle for equality with 
my colleagues in Congress during the 110th Congress.

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