Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act Of 2007
Floor Speech
LILLY LEDBETTER FAIR PAY ACT OF 2007 -- (House of Representatives - July 30, 2007)
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I appreciate your leadership for the people of the United States.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 2831. This legislation is being improperly classified as a narrow bill with limited ramifications, that simply overturns a Supreme Court decision made on May 29, 2007. In actuality, it is one of the most overreaching pieces of wage discrimination legislation that has ever been considered. If enacted, this legislation would make it impossible for businesses to defend themselves against actions that occurred years in the past.
We all oppose discrimination. Action against those who discriminate in the workplace should be taken quickly. Current laws ensure that disputes over discrimination are addressed expeditiously and with certainty. This bill would eliminate the 1964 Civil Rights Act statute of limitations governing the time within which a party must make a pay discrimination claim, currently 180 days or 300 days, depending on the State of employment.
As an inactive attorney and a person who practiced for 25 years and the proud father of an attorney, who appreciates the legal profession, I believe a statute of limitation serves many purposes. It encourages the timely filing of claims, helps prevent the filing of stale claims, and, most importantly, protects against abuse of the legal system.
Cases should be brought to court as soon as possible after an incident occurs to guarantee memories are fresh and witnesses are available to testify. In the absence of a statute of limitation, a worker or retiree could sue for pay discrimination resulting from an alleged discriminatory act that might have occurred 5, 10, 20 or even 30 years earlier. This same worker or retiree could seek damages against a company run by employees and administrators that had nothing to do with the initial act of alleged discrimination that occurred dozens of years ago.
I am grateful for the leadership of the Education and Labor Committee ranking member Buck McKeon on this issue. I urge my colleagues to oppose this flawed legislation
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Source