[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 6]
[House]
[Page 8013]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         PAYCHECK FAIRNESS ACT

  (Ms. BONAMICI asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, 50 years ago, the Equal Pay Act passed in 
Congress with strong bipartisan support. That should be no surprise. It 
makes sense.
  Back in 1963, 201 Democrats joined with 160 Republicans to support 
equal pay for equal work. Only 9 Members voted ``no.'' Back then, women 
earned just 59 cents for every dollar men earned. And today, we're 
still 23 cents short on the promise of equal pay. Half a century later, 
women earn 77 cents for every dollar men make for the same work. The 
Paycheck Fairness Act would strengthen the Equal Pay Act, giving women 
the paychecks they deserve and have earned. It would eliminate the 
loopholes and carve-outs that have denied women basic fairness for 
decades.
  As we celebrate the passage of the Equal Pay Act, let's hope for a 
return to bipartisanship and common sense. Let's make sure that women 
are paid what they deserve and pass the Paycheck Fairness Act. Equal 
pay was bipartisan 50 years ago. It should be bipartisan today.

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