March 25, 2015

Rep. Gallego, DeLauro Reintroduce Paycheck Fairness Act to End Wage Discrimination

WASHINGTON, DC – The day after the City of Phoenix passed an equal pay ordinance, Rep. Ruben Gallego joined Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) today in reintroducing the Paycheck Fairness Act - legislation which would help close the wage gap between women and men working the same jobs.

On average, women make just 78 cents for every dollar a man makes. This pay disparity is even more striking for African American women who on average make 64 cents for every dollar a white non-Hispanic man makes and Latinas who on average make 56 cents for every dollar a white non-Hispanic man makes.

"I'm proud to join Congresswoman DeLauro in reintroducing the Paycheck Fairness Act. Yesterday, the City of Phoenix City Council voted unanimously to pass an equal pay ordinance and address the wage gap in our city. The pay gap between women and men in Arizona is 16 cents for every dollar and it has real life implications for women working hard to ensure the American dream for their families," said Congressman Ruben Gallego. He added, "Until the federal government takes action, cities across our country are taking matters into their own hands and doing what they can to ensure equal pay for equal work. It's time for Congress to step up and pass the Paycheck Fairness Act. This is a no brainer that will help ensure the Equal Pay Act achieves its objective - guaranteeing that women who are working hard to move ahead are fairly compensated for their hard work and paid the same as men in the workforce doing the same job."