[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 65 (Wednesday, April 23, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S3298]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        FAIR PAY RESTORATION ACT

  Ms. MIKULSKI. Madam President, I am deeply disappointed about the 
fact that we did not get the necessary votes to move the Fair Pay 
Restoration Act forward. We fell three votes short of what we needed to 
do to get the job done. This fight for equal pay for equal comparable 
work, however, will go on.
  As the senior woman in the Senate, I take the floor tonight to say we 
will fight on. This was the first step forward. It will not be the only 
step we will take. But what we will not tolerate is another step 
backward.
  We are going to continue to bring this fight. We will look for 
opportunities to bring this legislation back to the Senate floor. What 
is it we want to do? It is to end discrimination against women in their 
personal paychecks. In order to end that, we need to change the 
lawbooks so they can experience fairness in their personal checkbook.
  This is the year 2008. You would think that in the year 2008, on the 
40th anniversary of the passage of so many historic civil rights bills, 
we would finally have legislation that would guarantee fairness in 
terms of pay.
  So we regret we didn't get the votes, but we will move on. Many 
people have been mesmerized by the John Adams miniseries. I like John 
Adams, but I really liked Abigail. While John Adams was down in 
Philadelphia with Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and a bunch of 
the other guys writing the Declaration of Independence and laying the 
groundwork for the Constitution and inventing America, Abigail Adams 
wrote her husband from the farm--while raising the four children and 
keeping the family going. She said: As you write those documents, do 
not forget the ladies, for we will foment a revolution of our own.
  I stand here today to say: Do not forget the ladies because we will 
foment a revolution of our own. I was here in 1992 when we didn't get 
it on Anita Hill. I am here in 2008 when we didn't get it in pay 
equity.
  In 1992, we had a revolution that went on. We got six new women in 
the Senate. There are now 16 of us. The majority of us voted for this 
bill. I am telling you we are ready for an ``Abigail Adams'' effort 
here. If they don't want to put us in the lawbooks so we can have 
fairness in the checkbooks, we will do a revolution. What do I mean by 
that? We will take it out to the voting booths. We will go on the 
Internet. We are going to go on TV, on the blogs. And we are going to 
tell everybody about this ignominious vote that occurred. When we tell 
it, we are going to say: Call to arms, women of America, put your 
lipstick on, square your shoulders, suit up, we have a hell of a fight 
coming, but, boy, are we ready. The revolution starts tonight.
  Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. SALAZAR. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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