WASHINGTON – A day after the nation marked Equal Pay Day, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) voted to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act, legislation he cosponsored to deter wage discrimination by closing loopholes in the Equal Pay Act and barring retaliation against workers who disclose their wages to colleagues. The measure was blocked by a Republican filibuster.
“When women are paid less for doing the same job as men, it hurts entire families. More than 45,000 Delaware households are headed by women, yet they continue to make just 80 cents on the dollar compared to men. Today we had a chance to correct this shameful and longstanding injustice by passing the Paycheck Fairness Act and leveling the playing field for women in the workforce. Instead, my Republican colleagues in the Senate once again chose the status quo. We can and should do better for our nation’s hardworking women and the families who depend on their income. I am disappointed in the Senate today, but I won’t give up on this important fight. Wage discrimination has no place in our society and I’ll keep working until equal pay for equal work is a guarantee for all.”