Congressman McEachin on Equal Pay Day 2017

WASHINGTON - Congressman A. Donald McEachin (VA-04) issued this statement recognizing Equal Pay Day 2017 and the need to pass legislation that will finally eliminate the gender wage gap that continues in America:

“Today is the day that marks when in 2017 a woman will have earned as much as a man did in 2016, on average, because of the gender wage gap. It is unacceptable to have a gender wage gap more than 50 years after the Equal Pay Act was signed into law. This wage gap directly impacts hardworking families and their children because many women are the sole source of income for their family. The wage gap has broad ramifications and must be part of a united effort for all aspects of women’s rights which includes paid leave, workplace discrimination rights, and access to affordable health care.”

“Unfortunately, the gender wage gap is more drastic within communities of color. Black women, Latina women, and Native American women lose thousands in earnings over their lifetimes compared to white men. Women and their families cannot afford this disparity to continue. It is beyond time to close the wage gap. If we act now, future generations will see wage inequality as archaic as it is. As the son of a public school teacher and father of two daughters, I believe this issue directly impacts us all.

“In Virginia, women working full-time are paid an average of 78 cents for every dollar paid to men. African American women make a mere 59 cents and Latina women only 52 cents for every dollar a white man makes. A lifetime of lower pay burdens women’s retirement savings, economic opportunities, access to healthcare, and overall quality of life. I introduced a bill to ensure that Virginia women receive equal pay for equal work in the General Assembly because I was dedicated to advocating for women’s rights at the state level. I will not waver in my determination at the federal level. I proudly stand with my colleagues in this fight for gender equity by cosponsoring the Equal Pay Day Resolution, the Paycheck Fairness Act, and the Global HER Act. I call on my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to come together to pass these comprehensive bills so that this is the last year we need experience the gender wage gap.”

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Contact: Jamitress Bowden
(202) 225-6365