McEachin Votes for Passage of the Paycheck Fairness Act

Statement

Congressman A. Donald McEachin (VA-04) issued the following statement following House passage of H.R. 7, the Paycheck Fairness Act, legislation he has co-sponsored every year since being elected to Congress.

"Persistent pay inequity impacts not only women, but their families and households," said McEachin. "Women are the sole or co-breadwinners in two thirds of American families with children. If pay equity were finally instituted, the poverty rate for all working women would be cut in half and for working single mothers by almost half."

In the United States, women still earn only 82 cents on average for every dollar earned by a man. Black women, Native American women, Pacific Islander women, and Hispanic women make even less compared to white men, at roughly 63 cents on a dollar.

"Earlier today I presided over debate for the landmark The Paycheck Fairness Act. This is long overdue for hard-working women putting in the same effort and hours as men, for their families, and for innocent children -- in fact, this bill is long overdue for all Americans who shouldn't have to worry about shelter, or food insecurity, or choosing between medical needs and other basic requirements of life. I am thrilled that this bill passed the House, and I urge my Senate colleagues to pass this legislation immediately."

The Paycheck Fairness Act will:

* Require employers to prove that pay disparities exist for legitimate, job-related reasons and not based on gender;

* Ban retaliation against workers who discuss their wages;

* Limits how employers can use the salary history of prospective employees;

* Create a negotiation and skills training program;

* Remove obstacles in the Equal Pay Act to allow workers to participate in class action lawsuits that challenge systemic pay discrimination; and

* Improve the Department of Labor's (DOL) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's (EEOC) tools for enforcing the Equal Pay Act.

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