WASHINGTON, DC—Congressman Jim Himes (CT-4) released the following statement in recognition of Equal Pay Day.
“While pay equity has starkly improved, women are still paid 77 cents for every dollar a man makes for doing the same work. Equal Pay Day serves as an important reminder that women remain undercompensated for the important contributions they make to our society and economy. I refuse to accept that my two young daughters, when they are grown, will be paid less than their male counterparts for performing the same work. Discrimination against women not only impacts them, but also their families and, in turn, the economy as a whole – and in that regard, this issue is personal to us all.”
Tuesday, April 17, 2012, is the national observance of Equal Pay Day. The date symbolizes how far into 2012 women must work to earn what men earned in 2011. Equal Pay Day was originated by the National Committee on Pay Equity in 1996 as a public awareness event to illustrate the gap between men's and women's wages.