Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson Calls for an End to the Gender Pay Gap

Washington, DC – (Monday, June 10, 2013) – Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson released the following statement commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Equal Pay Act:

“Fifty years ago today, President John F. Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act of 1963 into law. The Act has been instrumental in advancing women’s right to equal pay in the workplace, but our work is not over.

According to a new report from the American Association of University Women, women in Texas earned just 82 cents for every dollar earned by men. That is why we need the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would update and strengthen the Equal Pay Act. The Paycheck Fairness Act would provide remedies to women who are not being paid equal wages for equal work, and it would protect employees who share salary information with their colleagues.

This legislation is a crucial next step in our efforts to combat wage disparities. I urge my Republican colleagues to bring this bill to floor, so we can finally achieve equality in pay for American women.”

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U.S. Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson is the highest-ranking Texan on the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure and a Ranking member of the Science Committee. She represents the 30th Congressional District of Texas, which includes Downtown Dallas, Fair Park, Kessler Park, Old East Dallas, Pleasant Grove, South Dallas & South Oak Cliff; all of Cedar Hill, DeSoto, Duncanville, Hutchins, Lancaster & Wilmer and parts of Ferris, Glenn Heights, South Grand Prairie, Oak Lawn, Ovilla, Uptown/Victory Park and West Dallas.