The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“PAY INEQUITY AND THE WAGE GAP IN THE UNITED STATES” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Labor was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H7703-H7704 on Sept. 7, 2005.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
PAY INEQUITY AND THE WAGE GAP IN THE UNITED STATES
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Millender-McDonald) is recognized for 5 minutes.
Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, earlier this week we observed Labor Day. We take this important opportunity every year to honor this Nation's workers.
Tonight I want to shed light on one way that this country can really honor a group of workers that make up almost half of this Nation's workforce, and those are our women.
Mr. Speaker, the Department of Labor estimates that women will account for 55 percent of the increase in total labor-force growth between 2002 and 2012. However, in 2004 women made up 46 percent of the total United States workers. In that same year 68 million women were either working or looking for work.
Women work in every sector of our economy. They are professionals, managers, nurses, salespersons, factory workers, and business owners. More and more women are entering into nontraditional occupations. We are an essential component of the American workforce.
Then why is it that a full-time working woman receives only 73 cents to every dollar received by a man? That figure is worse for women of color. African American women earn 65 cents for every dollar paid to a white male. Hispanic women receive only 53 cents for each dollar earned by a white male. This means that Hispanic women are paid only slightly more than half of what white men earn. Even in jobs where women make up the majority of the workforce, and that is over 70 percent, men still earn close to 20 percent more than the women.
This trend must stop. Anyone would be hard pressed to find statistical evidence proving that women work is less arduous than their male counterparts or that they underperform comparatively. There is no logical explanation why a woman, who is often times still responsible for her children and family, in addition to working full time, should earn less than a male doing the same work.
This is not an issue that is going to go away, Mr. Speaker. Pay inequity is affecting the American family. If women earned the same amount of money as men who work the same hours doing the same job, their families' annual income would increase by $4,000 per year. This would cut poverty rates in half. Equal pay for equal work will increase women's spending capability. Equal pay for equal work will empower women to plan for their children's education and their own retirement.
Over 40 years have passed since the enactment of the Equal Pay Act. In that time we have only closed the wage gap by one-third of 1 cent per year. Mr. Speaker, this is unacceptable. We must do more to correct this disparity.
____________________
