Murray Statement on Equal Pay Day

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) released the following statement in recognition of Equal Pay Day:

“We’re 103 days into 2015, and on Equal Pay Day, that number takes on significant, unfortunate meaning. Today marks just how far into the new year the average woman has to work to earn what their male colleagues earned for the same work in 2014. In the 21st century, we should be able to agree that workers should be paid fairly for the work they do, regardless of their gender, but today, women across the country earn just 78 cents for every dollar a man makes.

“The pay gap isn’t just unfair to women – it hurts families, and it hurts our economy. Today, 60 percent of working families rely on income from two earners, and more than ever, women are likely to be the primary breadwinner for their families. Women’s success in today’s economy is critical to families’ economic security and to our nation’s economy as a whole. We need to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act to help close the pay gap. This is a critical step on a long list of things we can do to build our economy from the middle out, not the top down and ensure our country works for all families, not just the wealthiest few.

“I look forward to an Equal Pay Day in the future that we can celebrate, once we finally achieve pay equity, regardless of gender.  Until then, I am going to keep fighting on behalf of all women and families until they get the equal pay they’ve earned.”

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