Issue of the Day: Equal Pay
Talking Points
Last Tuesday, April 8, Senate Republicans filibustered the Paycheck Fairness Act sponsored by Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-Md), 53-44. In this midterm election year Democrats will continue to push the issue of equal pay legislation and it's important to be aware of the facts. Below are talking points on the issue of equal pay adapted and expanded from Katie Packer Gage's April 8 opinion piece on CNN.com. Packer Gage was the deputy campaign manager for Mitt Romney's 2012 presidential run. To read the original piece titled "Equal pay or opportunity for outrage?" click here:
- Republicans unequivocally believe that men and women should receive equal pay for equal work.
- Republicans support the Equal Pay Act (EPA). The EPA was signed into law by President Kennedy in 1963. It garnered 362 votes in the House and was only opposed by nine Democrats.
- New legislation will not necessarily close the wage gap between men and women. It has been widely noted that statistics on the wage gap are contingent on many factors including whether the men and women surveyed are salaried employees, paid hourly, have different levels of education, are married or single, etc. Indeed, President Obama recently was given two "Pinocchios" by The Washington Post fact-checkers for consistently using the 77 cent figure, published by the U.S. Census Bureau but obtained by questionable metrics. To read more about that, click here.
- Republicans applaud companies that seek and celebrate female workers, such as IBM, Marriott, and Ernst & Young.
- Republicans support encouraging young girls to enter into fields typically dominated by men--science, technology, engineering, and math. Work in these fields can yield high earnings.
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In Case You Missed It: "I am Volcanic" Barbara Mikulski
Barbara Mikulski got into a heated monologue on the Senate floor last Tuesday after her Paycheck Fairness Act was filibustered:
 | | Dem Sen. Barbara Mikulski's Reaction to Paycheck Fairness Act's Failure |
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