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Pelosi Statement on Equal Pay Day

March 31, 2020

Contact: Speaker's Press Office,
202-226-7616

Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement marking Equal Pay Day, which marks how far into the year a woman must work, on average, to earn as much as a man earned the previous year:

"Equal Pay Day is a stark reminder of the inequality that millions of American women continue to face in the workplace. On average, women still earn only 82 cents for every dollar earned by men, and the wage gap is even worse for women of color.

"During this difficult time for all of America's workers, paycheck fairness remains as critical as ever. In the historic workers-first economic relief package that Congress just enacted, Democrats fought tirelessly to ensure that employees continue to get their paychecks, and we will keep striving to ensure equal pay for equal work. For the millions of women who are either the sole or co-breadwinners in their family, equal pay is essential for keeping themselves and their families safe and healthy throughout this crisis.

"Equal pay for equal work is about fundamental fairness and justice in our economy and our nation. Despite the challenges ahead, we must never back down in our commitment to ensuring that every American, regardless of gender, receives the wages that they have earned."

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