[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 35 (Friday, February 25, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E177]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





              INTRODUCTION OF THE SALARY TRANSPARENCY ACT

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                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, February 25, 2022

  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, I rise to introduce the Salary 
Transparency Act, which would require employers to provide the salary 
range for jobs in advertisements and interviews and to existing 
employees.
  Several states have enacted laws relating to salary range disclosure, 
and the federal government should follow their lead and make this a 
nationwide requirement. Salary transparency is an important tool to 
combat the gender and race wage gap. Salary secrecy facilitates both 
intentional and unintentional pay discrimination and perpetuates the 
wage gap.
  Studies have consistently shown that when women negotiate for their 
salaries, they negotiate for less than similarly situated men. 
Frequently, this is because the salary they request is a certain 
percentage higher than their current salary. Because women on average 
make less than men, this practice perpetuates the wage gap. The same is 
true for people of color, who earn less on average than their White 
counterparts. Requiring employers to disclose the salary range for a 
position will help eliminate this harmful portion of the negotiation 
and lead to a reduction in the wage gap for women and minorities.
  This is the third pay equity bill I have introduced this Congress. My 
Pay Equity for All Act, which passed the House last year as part of the 
Paycheck Fairness Act, would prohibit employers from asking job 
applicants about their salary history, and my Fair Pay Act would 
require that men and women doing comparable work be paid comparable 
wages.
  I urge my colleagues to support this important bill.

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