[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 14658]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         PAYCHECK FAIRNESS ACT

  (Ms. DeLAURO asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of every working 
woman who faces pay discrimination in the workforce and call on the 
House to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act. Last week, the Supreme Court 
ruled 5-4 to limit the ability of women and other employees to sue 
their employers for pay discrimination under title VII. The court 
decided that a victim of pay disparity should be able to document a 
discriminatory difference in pay within a mere 6 months, despite the 
typical office secrecy over income.
  The Supreme Court is essentially rolling back efforts to ensure equal 
pay. When women still earn only 77 percent of what men earn, this 
ruling leaves these individuals with no recourse or remedy.
  The Paycheck Fairness Act will help women confront discrimination in 
the workplace and give teeth to the Equal Pay Act by prohibiting 
employers from retaliating against employees who share salary 
information with their co-workers; allowing women to sue for punitive 
damages and recovery of back pay; and create a new program to help 
strengthen the negotiation skills of girls and women.
  Mr. Speaker, next Sunday, we commemorate 44 years since John F. 
Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act and still equal pay is not a fact of 
life for American women. It is time to value the work that women do in 
our society. Let's pass the Paycheck Fairness Act.

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