Today, 100% of Republican senators voted as a block to prevent the Senate from allowing the Paycheck Fairness Act for women to proceed to the Senate floor for a vote. Eleanor Smeal, President of the Feminist Majority, commented, “We can no longer say there are moderate Republican senators. The so-called moderate New England senators — Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe from Maine, and Scott Brown of Massachusetts – voted against a very moderate bill that would have helped women employees to fight wage discrimination.
“Pay equity for women is supported by a vast majority of Americans, including Republicans, Independents, and Democrats. But today, Republicans as a block only listened to the United States Chamber of Commerce and big businesses. They argued that the bill would only help lawyers and hinder businesses. But, the bill only affects those businesses that are breaking the law and cheating women by discriminating against them and paying them less than men for the same job.
“It’s particularly outrageous that they’d vote against the Paycheck Fairness Act during a recession when women’s wages are especially important to keep food on their families’ tables and roofs over their heads. Women’s organizations are determined to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act and, if necessary, to make it a major issue in the 2012 election.”
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