Senator McCain's stated opposition to this legislation either demonstrates his ignorance of the challenge working women face in regards to pay disparity or a callous disregard for women working in a job market with men who are being paid nearly twice as much as she is for the same job.

Today, for the first time ever, unmarried women are a potential 26 percent of the electorate. Today, unmarried women are 53 million of Americans, and are equal in number to married women.

Today, unmarried women are in the depths of income disparity, as they are paid the least among all men and women, and are the hardest hit by the pay equity bill being killed in the Senate. Compared to married men, unmarried women make 56 cents to his dollar. Ending pay inequity for women should not be a party line vote as this was and Senator McCain, as his Republican party's presumptive presidential nominee shows a disappointing lack of understanding of both the issue and hardship the inequity poses for women, especially those on their own.

Tuesday our country recognized Equal Pay Day by looking at how far into the year a woman would have to work to earn an income equal to the amount a man earned the previous year. Unmarried women would have to work until September 27 of the following year to earn as much as a man.

Today, unmarried women pay the same rent; buy the same groceries; and pay the same bills, that men and married women do, but they have considerably less to do the same.

Compared to unmarried men, single women must provide for themselves and their families on household incomes of nearly $12,000 less. For every dollar a man make, women on their own make only 56 cents.

Senator McCain either does not find a problem with women working along-side of a man whose being paid nearly twice as much as she is, or he just doesn't care about this inequity, since he did not even show up to the vote. Refusing women equal pay not only affects their opportunity for betterment, but this denial of equality severely affects the children they are raising, who will be tomorrow's work-force.

There are 53 million unmarried women in our country and they not only deserve to be equally compensated for the same work of men and married women, but their livelihoods, and futures depend on it. Unmarried mothers are much more likely to be in America's workforce than any other group of women. Unmarried women in general dedicate 37 percent of their stretched income to basic household costs, and have nearly $225 less than unmarried men to meet these essential needs.

When you look at the income inequality of unmarried women, it's not surprising that:

22%, compared to 7% of married women, live below the poverty line
1 in 5, compared to 1 in 7 of all Americans, are without healthcare
28%, compared to 20% of married Americans rely on Medicare
11%, compared to 2% of married Americans depend on Medicade
50% of children under 6 with a single mom are living in poverty.

Today, unmarried women in America -- those single, separated, divorced or widowed -- are our mothers, sisters, daughters, and our co-workers. They are young and mature, and they span all races and work in all industries. Anyone who would deny unmarried women equal pay for equal work is completely off-base and out-of-touch with who America is today, and who is raising the children who will make up tomorrow's work-force.