Senate Should Ratify Bill, Says Women’s Voices Women Vote Action Fund

Statement by Page S. Gardner, president, Women’s Voices. Women Vote Action Fund, on the vote by the U.S. House of Representatives in favor of the Paycheck Fairness and Lilly Ledbetter Acts:

“Today’s House vote is a victory for our nation’s women, especially those who are single, separated, widowed or divorced. For the first time in our history, there are as many unmarried women as there are married, nearly a fifth of whom are single moms, with children living at home. Women on their own are supporting themselves and often their children on earnings that are only 56 cents to the dollar of what a married man makes. And the new unemployment figures show that unmarried women are as twice as likely to be unemployed compared to married women. They make less, work less, and have less to support themselves and their families.

“Today the U.S. House of Representatives made a great leap in ending pay discrimination in our country, paving the way for all women to enjoy the dignity of equality. With the Paycheck Fairness and Lilly Ledbetter Acts, these ‘women on their own’ will finally have a fair chance to be paid what they deserve. The U.S. House of Representatives spoke for equality today, and now it is time for the U.S. Senate to cast a vote that says regardless of sex or marital status, hard work is respected and rewarded equally in our country.”