“The devastating health and economic harms caused by the pandemic have made a simple truth painfully clear: The United States economy isn’t working for moms, and wage discrimination is a major reason. Moms of color experience compounded wage discrimination and harms due to structural racism. We cannot have a just recovery without ending pay inequity and improving our inadequate care infrastructure, because they drive the shameful wage gap facing moms. For every dollar paid to White, non-Hispanic dads in the United States today, Latina moms are paid just 46 cents, Black moms just 52 cents, White moms just 71 cents, Native American moms just 50 cents, and Asian American and Pacific Islander moms are paid just 90 cents, with some subgroups of AAPI women making as little as 52 cents to a White man’s dollar. These unconscionable gaps harm moms and the families who depend on their income, forcing many into poverty and hurting our economy. This cycle must end.

“To close these gaps and rebuild and strengthen our economy, we must dismantle structural racism and sexism in our public policies, raise the minimum wage, stop workplace discrimination, end the stigma surrounding caregiving, and invest in policies that build a care infrastructure for everyone. Doing so is more urgent than ever, as millions of women have lost jobs or have been pushed out of the workforce due to lack of a care infrastructure -- like universal childcare and paid leave for all -- during the pandemic, with women of color disproportionately being harmed due to structural racism. The time for action is now.”

-Statement of Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, executive director and CEO, MomsRising

“On Moms’ Equal Pay Day, America’s moms are reminding members of Congress that we are counting on them to address the root causes of the wage gap and pass the policies moms need to thrive. We strongly support the American Jobs Plan and the American Families Plan because these packages include long overdue investments in child care and paid family and medical leave, and extend the tax credits that support working families. These policies are essential to helping close the wage gap that harms moms, and especially moms of color, so severely. 

“We cannot close the wage gap without ensuring minimum wage workers, who are disproportionately women and people of color, are paid a living wage and that tipped workers are not left behind. The Raise the Wage Act would do just that. We also ask the U.S. Senate to quickly join the House of Representatives in passing the Paycheck Fairness Act, which will combat wage discrimination, and both chambers to pass the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, to help ensure no one is forced to choose between a paycheck and a healthy pregnancy. 

“The paid and unpaid labor of moms is essential to families, workplaces, communities and our economy. It’s past time our nation’s policies and infrastructure reflect that. We will not stop fighting until fair pay is a reality for everyone.”

-Statement of Ruth Martin, senior vice president and chief workplace justice officer, MomsRising