Duckworth Campaign Statement on Equal Pay Act Anniversary

Statement

Fifty-three years ago today, President John F. Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act into law to protect women against wage discrimination. While progress has been made, paycheck discrimination remains a significant issue in Illinois and across the country. To mark the anniversary, Duckworth campaign manager Kaitlin Fahey issued the following statement:

"Every day, families in Illinois and across the country miss out on millions of hard-earned dollars because of gender-based wage discrimination. While common-sense solutions exist, unfortunately Republican Mark Kirk has voted time and again against legislation like the Paycheck Fairness Act because he wants to protect corporations that are guilty of wage discrimination. Illinois needs a Senator like Tammy Duckworth who will lead the effort to achieve equal pay for equal work, not someone like Kirk who has represented Washington lobbyists at the expense of hardworking families and somehow believes paycheck fairness is "sexist", -- Kaitlin Fahey, Duckworth campaign manager

In Illinois, women are paid 79 cents for every dollar men are paid, which results in an average net loss of $12,000 each year for women and their families. For women of color, the disparity is even worse. African American women are paid 64 cents, and Latinas are paid just 48 cents for every dollar men are paid in Illinois.

Republican Mark Kirk has voted against the Paycheck Fairness Act six times and he insultingly described the bill as "the most sexist legislation you can have against women." Kirk also voted against the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which was the first bill President Obama signed into law in 2009, and against increasing the federal minimum wage, which disproportionately affects women and their families.

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