Transcript of Pelosi, DeLauro, Matsui, Frankel Press Availability on Equal Pay Day Today

Press Conference

Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer held a press availability today. Below is a transcript of the Leader's opening and closing remarks, as well as a question and answer session:

Leader Pelosi's Opening Remarks:

Leader Pelosi. Good afternoon, everyone. I'm honored to be here with Congresswoman DeLauro, who as you know is our Co-Chair of our Steering & Policy Committee, Congresswoman Doris Matsui, who is the Co-Chair of the [Democratic] Women's Working Group, and with Lois Frankel, who is the head of our "Women Lead" initiative. As you all probably know, this is Pay Equity Day. That means up until today, women have been working for free. Starting tomorrow, women will be getting paid for their work this year -- but not if you're an African-American woman, and not if you're a Hispanic-American woman. You still have to work a few more weeks unpaid in order to catch up with your male counterpart -- equal experience, equal qualifications, and equal responsibilities.

In 1963, President Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act. And this is what he said at the time: he said that prohibiting pay discrimination against women is a "structure basic to our democracy." Almost 50 years later, before signing his first piece of legislation -- President Obama, the first bill he signed was the Lily Ledbetter Bill, he said: "Making our economy work means making sure it works for everyone." It's past time for the Republican-led Congress to bring a paycheck fairness bill to the floor, for many reasons -- but I do want Rosa DeLauro to talk about most of them, because she has been our leader, our godmother on this issue. She will tell you how many times she has introduced this bill. We passed it in the House when we had the majority. We couldn't pass it in the Senate. But I want to, in bringing her forward, commend her for her tremendous leadership.

Congresswoman DeLauro. Doris is next.

Leader Pelosi. Oh, Doris is next, okay.

[Laughter]

I just returned from a trip to Asia on the mission of trade, security and human rights -- including women's rights. And Doris Matsui was a champion in saying to the leaders of the countries, and presidents, legislators, foreign ministers, how important the advancement of women is in America and in the world. Because, as we know in America, "when women succeed, America succeeds." And the same holds true globally. Congresswoman Matsui.

Leader Pelosi's Closing Remarks:

Leader Pelosi. Since 1997, Rosa has been introducing the Paycheck Fairness Act. I think Pay Equity Day should be called "Rosa DeLauro Day" myself. But let me say this: this is also part of what the President talked about when he talked about middle income economics, "middle class economics" versus trickle-down economics. We'll never really have the upturn in our economy that we need to see -- even though so many indicators are very positive on the upturn in the economy -- we'll never get the one we need to see until we strengthen the paycheck of America's working families.

Bigger paychecks -- better infrastructure, yes -- but also paycheck fairness: women make up such a large part of the economy. If they have more purchasing power, not only for all the necessities that Rosa talked about, not only about pension security, and what it means right now -- it's almost a half a million dollars less that a woman would make than a man doing a comparable job over a lifetime. And what does that mean to woman's retirement, and to her social security?

But getting back to the middle class economics: this confidence, this consumer confidence that we need to turn around our economy would be greatly strengthened -- that confidence would be -- if we had equal pay for equal work. So again, "When Women Succeed, America Succeeds." That was our bus trip. That's our agenda. But it's about paycheck fairness, it's about paid sick leave -- and I commend the Administration for their "Lead on Leave," paid sick leave [agenda], as well as issues that relate to quality affordable childcare. It's not just about women. It's about families, about men who are caregivers, and also stay at home dads, or just part of a family. With that, I'd be pleased to take any questions.

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