[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 4682]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       IN HONOR OF EQUAL PAY DAY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Flake). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Equal Pay Day. 
This is a national day of action to promote fair pay. It is 
disheartening that Equal Pay Day comes only once a year. Mr. Speaker, 
everyday should be equal pay day.
  Even though we have had equal pay laws on the books for nearly 40 
years, women still only earn .73 cents to the male dollar nationally. 
In my home state of Michigan, that figure is even worse, with women 
earning an average of .67 cents to the male dollar. Not surprisingly, 
women of color are in the worst position, earning only .64 cents to the 
male dollar. This, Mr. Speaker, is quite simply a disgrace.
  Equal work deserves equal pay. But in today's economy, unfair pay 
hurts more than just women; it hurts families. When women are not paid 
fairly, it lowers the family income. That means there is less money for 
essentials like groceries, doctors' visits, and clothes for the 
children. This is not a women's issue, Mr. Speaker, it is a family 
issue. We protect America's working families by rectifying this wrong.
  What can we do? I have two answers for you.
  1. We can pass the Paycheck Fairness Act, which was introduced by my 
good friend from Connecticut, Rosa DeLauro. The Paycheck Fairness Act 
would strengthen existing equal pay and civil rights laws by providing 
effective remedies to women who are not being paid equal wages for 
equal work.
  2. We can pass the ERA, reintroduced this year by my good friend and 
colleague, the gentlewoman from New York, Carolyn Maloney. We have 
waited too long to provide women with equal standing in the 
Constitution. The ERA would put some real teeth in our equal pay laws, 
and guarantee equal pay for equal work.
  I would encourage all members who are not currently cosponsors of the 
ERA to join us. We have 200, but we need more. I would ask my 
colleagues to truly represent the 50 percent of their constituency that 
still goes unrecognized in the very document that guarantees our rights 
and freedoms. Why should women be left behind?
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Representatives DeLauro and Maloney for their 
much needed leadership on this very important issue.
  There is no excuse for disparity in pay between men and women. Mr. 
Speaker, it is time for action. In honor of Equal Pay Day, I would ask 
my colleagues to join me as cosponsors of these two important bills. 
There is no better time than the present. Let's stop ignoring this 
serious family problem today.

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