For Immediate Release: April 22, 2008

Sutton: 'Closing the Wage Gap Must Be a Top Priority'

Congress Poised to Send Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to President

Washington, D.C. - On April 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act into law. Congresswoman Sutton has been a strong supporter of pay equity, joining with the Democratic Congress to pass legislation aimed at closing the wage gap this year.

"Though President Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act into law thirty five years ago, many Americans still do not earn equal pay for equal work," Sutton said. "Pay equity is not a women's issue, it is an issue that impacts working families in Ohio and across the nation. Closing the wage gap must be a top priority; when women earn more, the whole family benefits."

When the legislation was signed into law in 1963, women who worked full-time made 59 cents on average for every dollar earned by men. In 2006, women earned 77 cents for every dollar earned by men. While progress has been made, the reality is that the wage gap has narrowed by less than half a cent per year.

In addition, in May 2007, in the 5-4 decision of Ledbetter v. Goodyear, the Supreme Court ruled that a worker must file a charge of pay discrimination within 180 days of the employer's initial decision to pay someone less for discriminatory reasons. This opinion ignores the realities of the workplace, as workers may go years without knowing that they are being paid less than comparable employees.

"Last July, I introduced and the House passed H.Res.579, a resolution that led to the passage of H.R. 2831, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act," Sutton said. "The Senate will attempt to pass this legislation to send it to the President's desk this week. This crucial Ledbetter bill restores a basic protection against pay discrimination, and rectifies the Supreme Court decision that has made it harder for workers to pursue pay discrimination claims."

Contact: Shannon O'Brien at 202-225-3401