Congressman Larson Statement on Equal Pay Day

Washington, DC – Congressman John B. Larson (CT-01), Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, made the following statement today in honor of Equal Pay Day:

“In these difficult economic times it is particularly important that every member of our workforce gets paid and treated fairly. Today, on Equal Pay Day, I pay tribute to all of the women who fought not to accept a lower salary than their male counterparts, who brought attention to their plight and are still working to this day to crack the glass ceiling and ensure that their daughters get the pay they deserve.

“As Senate President in Connecticut, I sponsored equal pay legislation that would make sure women got paid the same wage for doing the same work as a man. I am so proud to see how far we have come in this fight, passing legislation not only on the state level but also at the national level this year.

“The first piece of legislation President Obama signed into law was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. Mrs. Ledbetter fought all the way to the Supreme Court for the right to sue her employers for back pay after years of earning less than her male colleagues. When the Supreme Court turned her away, Congress stepped in to make sure that no other women are denied the right to correct this type of discrimination.

“As a father of two daughters, I take this issue very seriously and I know that our fight is not over. Women in this country can be CEO’s of top companies; Speaker of the House; Secretary of State…the list goes on. They should never have to face pay discrimination based on their gender.”