[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 3 (Thursday, January 8, 2009)]
[House]
[Page H75]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page H75]]
                              {time}  1015
         LILLY LEDBETTER FAIR PAY ACT AND PAYCHECK FAIRNESS ACT

  (Mr. BACA asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of two critical bills: 
the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and the Paycheck Fairness Act.
  More than 40 years have passed since the passage of the Equal Pay 
Act. Unfortunately, women still earn less than men for the same work, 
and that is unfair. Women earn 78 cents for every dollar earned by men. 
The pay gap is even more severe amongst minority women. African 
American women earn 69 cents. Hispanic women earn just 56 cents on the 
dollar.
  The story of Lilly Ledbetter is a case in point of the barriers faced 
by women today. It's time for a change. Simply because of her gender, 
Ms. Ledbetter was paid 20 percent less for performing the same job that 
her male colleagues performed. It's unfair.
  The gap doesn't just affect women. It affects the Nation's economy. 
Women represent 41 percent of the total heads of households and sole 
income earners in this country. We cannot afford to weaken the ability 
of our breadwinners to pay for the basics, like groceries, child care 
and health care, especially as we face a growing economic recession.
  I urge us to support this legislation.

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