Kaine Statement On Failure To Pass Equal Pay Legislation

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine released the following statement after Senate Republicans blocked consideration of the Paycheck Fairness Act, legislation that would help close the pay gap by empowering women to negotiate for equal pay, closing loopholes courts have created in the law, creating strong incentives for employers to obey the laws and strengthening federal outreach and enforcement efforts:

“I regret that many of my Senate colleagues chose to deny hard-working women the tools they need to close the gender wage gap. It is unacceptable that in 2014, women in Virginia earn 79 cents to every dollar earned by a man performing the same job. Gender-based wage disparity hurts families, the economy, and ultimately does not reflect the American value of being rewarded for hard work. The Paycheck Fairness Act would have been a step toward meaningful progress. ”

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