Statement of Congresswoman Laura Richardson on Equal Pay Day

Statement

On Equal Pay Day, Congresswoman Laura Richardson (D-CA37) released the following statement in which asserts that more needs to be done to close the wage gap that still exists between women and men:

"Women still only earn 77 cents for every dollar earned by men," stated Congresswoman Richardson. "Equal pay is not simply a women's issue -- it's a family issue. Families increasingly rely on women's wages to make ends meet. In typical married households, women's incomes accounted for 36 percent of total family income in 2008, up from 29 percent in 1983. Achieving equal pay for women has been one of my top legislative priorities since I have been in Congress.

In January 2009, the Democratic-led 111th Congress sent to the President's desk the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act -- and it became the first bill signed into law by President Obama. This Act, a great victory for women, restores the right of women to challenge unfair pay in court -- but virtually all House Republicans rejected this critical measure for women.

"Although the Lilly Ledbetter Act has been enacted, we need to do more," Congresswoman Richardson added. "I am also fighting for the enactment of the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would provide a much-needed update to the 49-year-old Equal Pay Act by providing effective remedies to women who are not being paid equal wages for doing equal work. But once again, Republicans continue to stand in the way of progress for women and their families."

This year, Equal Pay Day falls on Tax Day. Just as Democrats are fighting for equal pay for women, Democrats are also fighting for basic fairness in the tax code. While women are struggling in the workplace with unfair pay, it adds insult to injury that many women with modest incomes are actually paying a higher tax rate than their well-paid bosses. That is why this week Democrats fought to enact the "Buffett Rule." The Buffett Rule is the basic principle that no household making over $1 million annually should pay a smaller share of their income in taxes than middle-class families pay.

"On this Equal Pay Day 2012, let us all vow that, in order to strengthen the American family and ensure fairness in American life, we will work together until we have achieved an America where women are truly paid equal pay for equal work and we have a tax code where everyone pays their fair share," concluded Congresswoman Richardson.

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