[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 6986-6987]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       RECOGNIZING EQUAL PAY DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. HILDA L. SOLIS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 19, 2005

  Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Equal Pay Day. On 
this day, thousands of advocates across the country will participate in 
events to bring attention to the continued gender wage gap.
  The Equal Pay Act, enacted in 1963, established pay equity for women 
in the United States. Nonetheless, 40 years after the enactment, women 
are still paid less than men--despite similar education, skills and 
experience. In fact, women still only earn 76 cents to each dollar paid 
to their male counterparts.
  Although we have made progress since 1963, women have not yet 
achieved pay equity. Women, particularly single mothers, continue to 
face financial burdens, including the cost of rent, groceries and 
utilities. Compounding this situation is the reality that the wage gap 
inevitably leaves women with less money for retirement, smaller 
pensions

[[Page 6987]]

and will also disproportionately depend on social security.
  While working women in California are farther along the road to 
reaching equal pay in comparison to other states, the gap still exists. 
In 2000, women in California earned 82 cents as much per hour as men. 
Regrettably, at this current rate, women in California will not have 
pay equity until 2044.
  Women of color are at an even higher disadvantage than non-minority 
women. Latinas earn merely 53 cents and African American women earn 65 
cents for every dollar that men earn. We must recognize workplace 
discrimination and barriers faced by women of color across the country.
  The wage gap between men and women is unacceptable. That is why I 
strongly support the ``Paycheck Fairness Act,'' introduced by 
Representative DeLauro. This bill will take the necessary steps to 
eliminate gender-based wage discrimination and ensure that women will 
finally earn what men earn for doing the same job. I urge Congress to 
pass this bill and end wage discrimination for all women.

                          ____________________