WASHINGTON – AAUW applauds the House of Representatives for today's passage of two pieces of legislation that will provide a powerful one-two punch in the fight for pay equity. Legislators approved the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act (H.R. 11) by a 247-171 vote and the Paycheck Fairness Act (H.R. 12) by a 256-163 margin.
"The House sent an important message to the hardworking women of America — that pay equity is a priority," said AAUW Executive Director Linda D. Hallman, CAE. "It has taken us a long time to get here — too long. But now, we have not only tremendous public support behind the issue but also leaders with the courage of their convictions, who have shown that they are willing to stand up and make a real difference."
AAUW now urges the Senate to quickly pass these vital bills. Both measures passed the House in the 110th Congress but stalled in the Senate. With the new 111th Congress and a new president, AAUW expects the bills to fare much better. The Ledbetter Fair Pay Act would address the U.S. Supreme Court's problematic decision in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., restoring the long-standing interpretation of civil rights laws and EEOC policies that allowed employees to challenge any discriminatory paycheck they received. The Paycheck Fairness Act would provide additional tools to deter wage discrimination by closing loopholes in the Equal Pay Act.
"Taking strong steps toward pay equity could also play a critical role in any effort to stimulate the economy and ensure self-sufficiency for women, who tend to be hurt first and worst during economic downturns," said Lisa Maatz, AAUW director of public policy and government relations. "It's crucial that the Senate step up to the plate and swiftly pass both bills — this is the time to send a clear message that pay discrimination will not be tolerated and to give a new administration critical enforcement tools to make real progress on pay equity."
AAUW has helped keep pay equity on the nation's radar. AAUW's 2007 Behind the Pay Gap report redefined the debate on pay equity and reenergized the drive to pass needed pay equity legislation. In fact, AAUW was asked to showcase the report at the first House hearing on pay equity in a decade.
Currently, women working full time earn, on average, about 78 cents for every dollar their male counterparts earn. The 78 cents represents the "raise" women received in 2007 when the wage gap narrowed by one cent.
"This is the narrowest the wage gap has ever been, but it's only an additional one cent on the dollar," said Hallman. "One cent is chump change. It isn't real change." To highlight that figure and the need for serious action on pay equity, AAUW kicked off a new pay equity campaign this week called "Keep the Change until Women Have Real Change."
"AAUW has long been a leader in the pay equity fight," Maatz said. "We have been instrumental in leading the charge for the women's rights, labor, and civil rights communities, and our coordinated grassroots and lobbying efforts are paying off."
For more information or to schedule an interview with AAUW Director of Public Policy and Government Relations Lisa Maatz, please contact Lisa Goodnight, AAUW Sr. Media Relations & Marketing Associate at 202/785-7738 or goodnightl@aauw.org.
For more information about the Keep the Change campaign, visit www.aauw.org/advocacy/issue_advocacy/actionpages/payequity.cfm.
To read Lilly Ledbetter's letter in support of both measures, go to www.aauw.org/advocacy/issue_advocacy/actionpages/upload/LillyLedbetterletter.pdf.
