Washington, D.C. -Today, Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, the Chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, sent a letter to Gene L. Dodaro, Comptroller General of the Government Accountability Office (GAO), requesting an updated analysis of Current Population Survey (CPS) data to assess the gender pay gap in the United States, workplace inequities for women, and steps the federal government can take to better track these disparities. The Chairwoman announced the request today at a district roundtable to recognize Moms’ Equal Pay Day.
“Women on average are paid 82 cents for every dollar paid to a man, and the gender pay gap is wider for many women of color," wrote Chairwoman Maloney. “For every dollar paid to white men, Asian American women are paid 85 cents, although women in various groups within the Asian American Pacific Islander community experience a much larger wage gap. Black women are paid 63 cents for every dollar, Native American women are paid 60 cents, and Latinas are paid 55 cents."
On March 24, 2021, the Committee on Oversight and Reform held a hearing to examine the roots and impacts of the gender pay gap on women and families, and particularly how pay inequity disproportionately burdens women of color.
In 2002, Chairwoman Maloney and Representative John D. Dingell released a report that analyzed information compiled by GAO examining CPS data for the years 1995 and 2000, which revealed that in a selection of ten industries, managers who were women earned less than managers who were men over that time period.
“Nearly 20 years later, the gender pay gap has barely budged, and it remains a major obstacle to women’s economic well-being, career advancement, and ability to save for retirement," Chairwoman Maloney added.
Today’s letter requests that GAO update the data compiled for the 2002 report and expand upon its previous analysis to specifically address the impact of race, ethnicity, and age on gender pay disparities, and identify steps the federal government can take to improve data collection.
