Today is Equal Pay Day – April 12. Despite President Obama’s historic Lilly Ledbetter Pay Act, the gender pay gap persists – in part because House Republicans and John Mica have continually blocked consideration of the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would help address wage discrimination.
According to a new report from the Joint Economic Committee, the pay gap in FL-7 is 16%, affecting not only Florida’s working women, but their families too. As much as 40 percent of a families’ total earnings are contributed by working women, highlighting that the gender pay gap is impacting the American families who depend on their paychecks. Closing the gender pay gap would cut the poverty rate among single-mother-led households by as much as half.
“This Equal Pay Day, John Mica owes an explanation to the women of Florida’s 7th Congressional District who still make 84 cents on the dollar,” said Jermaine House of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “ John Mica’s has voted against both the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and to block the consideration of the Paycheck Fairness Act, helping to perpetuate the gender pay gap, which is hurting women, their families and Florida’s economy.”
According to the DCCC, when women make more, women spend more – so Congressman Mica’s refusal to consider the Paycheck Fairness Act is hurting Florida’s economy.
Mica voted against the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to Prevent Wage Discrimination in 2009. The Senate measure was nearly identical to some provisions in the House passed version HR 11. The final bill allowed employees to sue employers for wage discrimination within 180 days of their last paycheck affected by the alleged discrimination. The measure was designed to overturn a 2007 Supreme Court decision (Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co.) that ruled a worker could not bring a wage discrimination suit more than 180 days after the initial discriminatory act. The bill passed 250-177.
