[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 7 (Tuesday, January 13, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E69]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         PAYCHECK FAIRNESS ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. CHET EDWARDS

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, January 9, 2009

  Mr. EDWARDS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the Paycheck Fairness Act is about 
far more than the size of a paycheck. It is about our commitment to the 
American values of hard work and equality of opportunity.
  The story of America is our never-ending march toward the highest 
ideals of equal opportunity for all our citizens.
  Today, we write a new chapter in that great American story. Today, we 
say to women and young girls all across our land, that if you work hard 
and play by the rules, you will be rewarded fairly. You will reap what 
you sow.
  From our founding days, that promise has motivated parents to work 
hard to improve the lives of their families and the future for their 
children. It has inspired generations of immigrants to leave their 
homelands to make America their home.
  Fulfilling the promise of equal opportunity for American women will 
lift millions of our families and children out of poverty. That's not 
just progress for their families; it is real progress for the American 
family. And, by fairly rewarding the hard work of America's women, we 
make our Nation more competitive in the world economy.
  Some will say this step forward will be inconvenient. I say that 
knocking down barriers to equality of opportunity has never been the 
convenient thing to do, but it has always been the right thing to do.
  My wife and I try to teach our two young sons every day that if they 
will work hard, they will do well in life--that their work will be 
rewarded fairly.
  I am supporting this bill, because I want the parents of every little 
girl in America to be able to teach that value, to make that promise to 
their daughters. It is the promise of America.

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