DNC Statement on the 45th Anniversary of the Equal Pay Act
June 11, 2008Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean and DNC Women's Caucus Chair Mame Reiley issued the following joint statement on the 45th Anniversary of the signing of the Equal Pay Act:
"This week we celebrate the signing of the Equal Pay Act 45 years ago. This critical piece of legislation recognized that paying women less money for doing the same work as men was nothing short of discrimination and should be prohibited by law.
"Unfortunately inequality of pay still exists, with women earning on average 77 cents for every dollar that men earn, and for women of color the discrimination is even more pronounced. Yet over the past seven years the Bush Administration has turned its back on women and this problem, and now John McCain promises more of the same. It's hard to believe that even in the 21st Century, John McCain voted to deny women equal pay.
"We have seen during this election that women still face sexism everyday, coming up against inequality whether it's in the boardroom or the classroom. That's why Democrats remain committed to fighting for women's rights on all fronts. We will push for equal pay, access to affordable, quality health care and the right to make one's own life decisions, affordable and accessible housing, the elimination of sexual harassment and discrimination, and protecting Social Security, as well as many other issues vital to women, their families, and their children.
"There is absolutely no place in our society for this kind of inequality, and Democrats will continue to fight for equal rights for all women and Americans."
Women Earn Less Than Men. On average, women earn approximately 77 cents for every dollar that men earn, and the wage disparity for minority women is even more significant. Over the course of one's lifetime, a woman could earn approximately $700,000 to $2 million less than a man as a result of the current wage disparity and is less likely to receive retirement and pension benefits. [National Committee on Pay Equity, accessed 4/22/08, www.pay-equity.org/about.html; Institute For Women's Policy Research, accessed 4/22/08, www.iwpr.org/publications/pdf.htm#recent]
McCain Voted To Deny Women Equal Pay. Twice, McCain voted to deny equal pay rights for millions of women in America, as part of a supposed overhaul of minimum wage laws that would have actually removed existing protections for many workers. [2005 Senate Vote #258, 10/19/2005; 2006 Senate Vote #180, 6/21/2006]
