Statement on the 50th Anniversary of the Equal Pay Act

Washington, DC (June 10, 2013) — Rep. Jan Schakowsky released the following statement on the 50th anniversary of the Equal Pay Act:

"Fifty years ago today, President John F. Kennedy signed into law the Equal Pay Act, which requires equal pay for equal work. However, fifty years later the pay gap still exists. Women today earn only 77 cents for every dollar men make, a yearly gap of $11,084 between working men and women. Women of color earn even less.

"Equal pay is not just a woman's issue; it's a family issue. Families increasingly rely on women's wages for their everyday needs, but if women bring home less money each day that means $11,000 less every year for groceries, child care, rent, and doctors' visits.

"The effects of this continuing pay gap between what men and women earn can last a lifetime, resulting in lower pensions and Social Security benefits. Women have waited far too long for equal pay, which is why Congress must pass the Paycheck Fairness Act."

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