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Statement

Statement of Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, CEO and Executive Director, MomsRising, On the U.S. Senate's Failure to Pass the Paycheck Fairness Act (S.3220)

June 5, 2012
Equal Pay

Lisa Lederer, 202-371-1996

Women's Leader Calls Bill Crucial to Deterring Wage Discrimination Against Moms and Other Women, Vows to Continue Fighting
"As an organization that represents more than a million women and mothers who regularly experience the negative effects of wage discrimination, and one that has worked tirelessly to urge Congress to take steps to end that discrimination, we at MomsRising are deeply disappointed in the Senate's failure to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act.
 
"It's outrageous that today, on average, women earn 77 cents to a man's dollar. And this disparity is even greater for moms, single moms and women of color.
 
"This bill would have helped to bring to an end this unjust and harmful trend, which impacts more than just women and moms themselves. After all, when moms experience wage discrimination, their families also suffer. Increasingly, families need two wage earners to make ends meet, and the struggle to feed and house a family can be even greater for single moms. Not acting to right the wrong of wage discrimination is not only callous, not only devalues women's important contributions in workplaces, but also negatively impacts our overall economy.
 
"We are disappointed, but not disheartened. We will continue fighting for fair pay, and for the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would put some important teeth in the Equal Pay Act. It would help deter wage discrimination by strengthening penalties around equal pay violations; prohibit retaliation against workers who ask about employers' wage practices or disclose their wages; empower women to negotiate for equal pay; strengthen federal outreach and efforts; and create strong incentives for employers to follow the law.
 
“This bill is too important to abandon.
 
"We shall redouble our efforts and continue to reach out to Members of Congress to press for a law that will help close the wage gap once and for all. Moms are counting on us.  Moms like our member AnnMarie Duchon, who for many years was paid significantly less than a male colleague who had the exact same job and exact same background, including graduation year, alma mater and major!"
 

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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, decrease discrimination against women and moms, and to build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.