Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Lois Frankel (FL-22), co-led the introduction of a resolution to recognize March 12^th—the day symbolizing how long into 2024 the average woman must work to make what the average man was paid in 2023—as Equal Pay Day. 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 child care. It’s long past time Congress took the necessary steps to close the wage gap.” 

More than sixty years after the passage of the Equal Pay Act, women still earn 84 cents for every dollar made by men on average, including 74 cents for mothers—and it’s even less for women of color. Black women only earn 69 cents, Native women 59 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 more than $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. For full text of the resolution, click here.

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