Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Lois Frankel (FL-22), Chair of the Democratic Women’s Caucus, Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Ranking Member of the Appropriations Committee, Teresa Leger Fernandez (NM-03), and Nikema Williams (GA-05), led 142 Members in introducing a resolution to recognize March 14th as Equal Pay Day. This day marks how long into 2023 the average woman must work to make what the average man was paid in 2022. The resolution highlights the significance of equal pay and the disparity between wages paid to men and women.

“Equal pay is not only a matter of fairness and justice—it’s essential for creating a more equitable and prosperous world,” said Rep. Frankel. “For generations, women have received unequal pay for equal work, disproportionately occupied jobs in low-paying industries, and been forced to leave the workforce altogether due to lack of affordable caregiving. It’s long past time Congress took the necessary steps to close the wage gap.” 

“Equal Pay Day marks how far into the current year a woman must work to catch up to what her male counterpart earned in the previous year,” said Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee DeLauro. “More than five decades after passage of the Equal Pay Act of 1963, women working full-time or part-time still earn less for every dollar earned by men. That is outrageous and it must end. Equal pay for equal work is a simple concept, and it is time we actualize it for the millions of American women who are being unfairly undervalued in the workplace. Let’s enact the Paycheck Fairness Act and empower working women by giving them the tools to ensure their contributions to the workplace are properly respected and reflected in their pay.”

“Almost 60 years after the passage of the Equal Pay Act, women, especially women of color, continue to be underserved, undervalued, and underpaid. This disparity has only grown worse during the pandemic and she-cession, especially given the lack of affordable child care available for our communities,” said Rep. Leger Fernández. “This resolution recognizes the disparities, inequality, and unfair treatment of women in the workplace. It’s time to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act to make sure this year’s Equal Pay Day is the last. Women deserve equal pay NOW.”   

“When women are underpaid at work, it sends the offensive message that we are considered to be worth less than men,” said Rep. Williams. “It’s even more offensive that Black and brown women must work substantially later into the year to earn their fair pay. The Paycheck Fairness Act and my bill, the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, are tools to put people over politics and help end pay discrimination once and for all.” 

Nearly 60 years after the passage of the Equal Pay Act, women still earn 84 cents for every dollar made by men on average—and it’s even less for women of color. Black women only earn 67 cents, Native women 57 cents, and Latinas 57 cents to every dollar earned by men. For a woman working full time year-round, the current wage gap represents a loss of nearly $400,000 over the course of her career, a gap that widens dramatically for women of color. The wage gap impacts women’s ability to save for retirement, and hurts their Social Security and pension benefits, contributing to more older women living in poverty.

This resolution raises awareness of the gender wage gap and its impact on women, families, and the nation while reaffirming Congress’ commitment to supporting equal pay for equal work.

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