[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 57 (Tuesday, April 8, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E544]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                             EQUAL PAY DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, April 8, 2014

  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, today, we 
commemorate Equal Pay Day, the typical time three months into the year 
when a woman's wages finally catch up to what men were paid the 
previous year. This symbolic day illustrates the blatant gap that still 
remains between men and women's pay earnings, with women continuing to 
make 77 cents for every dollar a man makes. It is an urgent reminder 
that we must work together to secure equal pay for equal work.
  When you discriminate against a woman, you discriminate against her 
entire family. Today women serve as the sole or primary breadwinners in 
40 percent of all households with children under the age of 18. In 
addition, two out of three families now depend on the wages of working 
moms. Our country is evolving; today only a fifth of American families 
have a male breadwinner and female homemaker. It is time to promote pay 
equity on behalf of these families.
  Closing the wage gap between men and women would cut the poverty rate 
in half. The U.S. Census Bureau reported that the poverty rate among 
women is the highest it's been in 17 years, with 17 million women 
living in poverty last year compared with 12.6 million men. The 77 
cents to the dollar that women make relative to men adds up to $11,084 
a year in loss of income. This impacts her lifetime earnings and hurts 
her retirement savings. Over the age of 65, nearly 52 percent of women 
are categorized as economically vulnerable by the supplemental poverty 
measure versus almost 42 percent of men at the same age. If the slow 
pace of increase continues, it will not be until 2058 that hard-working 
women receive pay equity and are able to close the wage gap that will 
allow them to enjoy a well-deserved retirement.
  It is estimated that greater pay equity between men and women would 
add nearly half a trillion dollars to the U.S. economy. The first 
female Chair of the Federal Reserve, Janet Yellen, has been vocal in 
her praise of women's increasing participation in the workplace and 
contributions to our overall economy. Between 1970 and 2009, women's 
participation in the workforce jumped to nearly half of all workers, 
going from holding 37 percent of jobs to nearly 48 percent. Women have 
made similar advances in higher education and receive almost 60 percent 
of the bachelor's degrees granted in the United States. Still, one year 
after college, female graduates receive just 82 percent of what their 
male counterparts make. This unjust pay gap only increases as they 
become older; women are paid just 69 percent of what men earn 10 years 
after college graduation.
  In this year's State of the Union, President Obama drew attention to 
the wage gap, saying that this level of inequality in 2014 is 
unacceptable. He prioritized congressional and private sector action on 
fair pay and fair leave policies so that women can achieve the equality 
they deserve.
  Women make tremendous contributions to our economic wellbeing. 
Unequal pay is a reality in modern America but it doesn't have to be. 
There is wide support for equal reimbursement--73 percent of Americans 
favor equal pay for equal work. I agree, and that's why I support the 
Paycheck Fairness Act. It is time for us to prioritize the long-term 
well-being of the nation's hardworking women, many of whom are heads of 
households, and immediately pass this critical legislation to help 
ensure equality in the workplace.

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