Senate Republicans Kill Equal Pay for Womenby: Jennifer DalerWed Nov 17, 2010 at 22:05:44 PM EST |
The Paycheck Fairness Act, which would have updated the Equal Pay Act of 1963 by closing certain loopholes, and, among other things, require that employers be able to prove that wage discrepancies are not because of gender, died in the Senate today. Republicans, joined by blue dog Ben Nelson, voted against cloture, keeping the bill from the floor and from passage this session. It will be difficult to pass in the New Republican controlled US House next term.
"This was a missed opportunity to make history and jump-start real economic change for American women and their families," said AAUW [American Association of University Women] Executive Director Linda D. Hallman. "While the Senate's action is difficult to comprehend given the stark reality that most families depend on the paychecks of women, our effort to close the pay gap is far from over." According to AAUW, on average, women still make only 77 cents for every dollar men earn. By some estimates women could lose between $500,000 and $1 million over a 40-year career. In higher-paying fields, such as law, the wage gap can result in even greater lifetime losses. AAUW said in a statement that their report, Behind the Pay Gap, controlled for factors known to affect earnings such as education and training, parenthood, and hours worked and found that college-educated women still earn less than men - despite the same major and occupation as their male counterparts. This bill was an essential companion to the Lily Ledbetter Act that President Obama signed into law in January of 2009. Without it, according to Ledbetter herself, "Giving women the Ledbetter Act without Paycheck Fairness is like giving them the nail without the hammer."The Ledbetter Act gives more time to file discrimination suits. As stated above, this would have given women more protection regarding pay equity. Opponents, including Republicans and the US Chamber of Commerce, have said in the past that they're concerned the bill would lead to more employees filing suits, which would be costly for employers to have to fight. The majority of single parent households are headed by women. In order to remain in the middle class, households with two parents and couples without children depend on women's income. How can we allow Republicans to wrap themselves in the mantle of being pro-family, when this is clearly an act that harms families of all kinds? |