“Every U.S. Senator who voted against the Paycheck Fairness Act today voted against fair pay and promotions, against equal opportunity, against women’s success in the workplace, against a just recovery, against strong businesses and a thriving economy, and against helping more families climb out of poverty. They voted against the interests of their constituents and against fair wages for us and our children.

“Instead, they voted for gender discrimination and structural racism, for a never-ending wage gap, and for unquestionably false, deceptive myths touted by narrow special interests. Our patience is exhausted. America’s moms, and the families we help support, are fed up with waiting for Congress to do the right thing. We need meaningful action, now, to make wages fair, which is of paramount importance to our financial security and our lives. We need to break the impasse and make progress now.

“Our country has long needed fair pay, since before the Paycheck Fairness Act was first introduced in 1997, and we still need it now, with U.S. women across all races and ethnicities who work full-time, year-round paid an average of just 82 cents for every dollar paid to men — and women of color paid much less due to structural racism. For instance, Latinas in our country are paid just 55 cents, Native women just 60 cents, and Black women just 63 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men. Further, moms are paid just 75 cents for every dollar paid to dads, with moms of color experiencing the most severe wage discrimination. It’s unacceptable. As we rebuild our economy, we are counting on Congress to help end the wage gap that denies moms and women fair pay, forces families into poverty, and causes terrible harm to our economy. The U.S. Senate let the country down today.”