Senate fails to advance Paycheck Fairness Act to a vote

The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force responded to the U.S. Senate’s failure today to allow a vote on the Paycheck Fairness Act, which sought to strengthen laws prohibiting sex discrimination in wages. The Paycheck Fairness Act needed 60 votes to move forward, and only secured 58. The legislation previously passed in the U.S. House with bipartisan support.

National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Executive Director Rea Carey says:

It’s unfathomable to think that in 21st-century America, pay equity between men and women remains elusive. That a woman gets 77 cents to a man’s dollar for doing similar work is outrageous and unfair. This isn’t simply a matter of principle, it’s about women being able to put food on their family’s table, it’s about being able to pay the bills, it’s about having a roof over one’s head, it’s about having a fair shake, it’s about not being discriminated against in pay solely because of your gender. Pay equity affects each of our lives, and the lives of all of our families. It is an outrage that the Senate today refused to allow this common-sense bill to move forward. It is shameful that so many senators voted against the economic security of American women and our families — this includes lesbian, bisexual and transgender women, particularly women of color, who are vulnerable to inequity. This is a grave disservice to all our families and our country.