Matsui Statement on Equal Pay Day

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, April 17, 2012

CONTACT: ALANA JUTEAU
(202) 225-7163

Matsui Statement on Equal Pay Day

Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA) issued the following statement today on Equal Pay Day, which marks how far into the year a woman must work, on average, to earn as much as a man earned the previous year:

"Equal pay is not just a women's issue - it is a family issue. In California, women earn 84 cents for every dollar earned by men. If the wage gap in California was eliminated, a working woman would have 62 more weeks of food, four more months of mortgage and utilities payments, seven more months of rent, and nearly 2,000 additional gallons of gas. Our families are suffering because of the gender pay gap.

"In January 2009, the Democratic-led 111th Congress passed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act - the first bill President Obama signed into law. While Lilly Ledbetter was a great victory for women and families, we must continue to do more. In the 112th Congress, Democrats are fighting to see the Paycheck Fairness Act passed into law.

"Unfortunately, Republicans continue to stand in opposition of equal pay, and for big business over America's families. Today, I call on Congressional Republicans to work with us to ensure women are paid equal pay for equal work so that we can strengthen American families - and the American dream."

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