Today, Rep. Pete Aguilar (CA-31) co-sponsored the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would help end wage discrimination against women. Women currently earn 78 cents for every dollar men make, on average.

“I’m proud to support the Paycheck Fairness Act. This commonsense legislation will make strides in closing the wage gap between men and women performing the same jobs in the workplace. It is unconscionable that in 2015 we are still debating whether women deserve equal pay to men. In our communities, African American women only make 64 cents and Hispanic women only make 56 cents to every dollar made by men. Pay equity is not just a women’s issue – it’s a family issue,” said Aguilar.

He added, “Women make up half of our workforce; they are our doctors, our scientists, our public servants, and our soldiers—they deserve equal pay for their work and sacrifice. I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to see this through, and I’m confident that together we will be able to continue the work that was started fifty years ago with the Equal Pay Act.”

The Paycheck Fairness Act was reintroduced today by Rep. DeLauro (CT-03). The bill would close loopholes in the Equal Pay Act (1963) that allow employers to deny equal pay for men and women for doing the same work.  The bill requires that employers show that pay differences between men and women doing the same work are performance-based and not related to gender, and improves reporting standards and remedies for women who have experienced pay discrimination.