Dear Kevin,
I’m still reeling from this week’s disappointing vote on the Paycheck Fairness Act.[1] To be blunt, I’m angry. I want to send a message to Congress that, to paraphrase what the characters said in the movie, The Avengers: “You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry…because I get even more determined and organized.”
It’s ridiculous that the Paycheck Fairness Act failed to get out of the Senate. Women need equal pay for equal work NOW. It’s time to double down on our Campaign for Equal Pay. We need to raise $10,000 dollars this week to turbo-charge our Campaign for Equal Pay in a way that no member of Congress will be able to ignore.
*We’re half way to our goal! Will you help us reach it by chipping in $23? (Why $23? On average, women make 23 cents less to a man’s dollar).
http://action.momsrising.org/go/1886?t=4&akid=3335.90096.dWdUWQ
What’s the plan? With your donation, we’ll be able to hold members of Congress who voted against equal pay accountable for their terrible vote on the Paycheck Fairness Act. MomsRising relies on individual donations from people like you to be able to represent our members in the chambers of Congress. Without you, we wouldn’t have the funding to visit Congressional staff members, testify on your behalf to promote legislation, bring forward member voices through emails, calls, stories, and more — or even mention the words “Paycheck Fairness Act.”
With our Equal Pay Campaign, we will:
*Work in unison with other national organizations to amplify the drumbeat of messages from women across the country–through emails, calls, stories, and more– going into Congress in the coming months, reminding them that America’s families need paycheck fairness reform now.
*Circulate a massive nationwide open letter that people across the nation can sign calling on Congress to stand up for families and get paycheck fairness reform done.
*Make sure Congress can’t ignore us by donning our MomsRising supermom t-shirts and personally delivering these petitions. (There’s nothing like TV images of fed-up moms to make elected officials nervous especially in an election year!)
Congress needs to hear that we can’t wait any longer. We need paycheck reform now. No more excuses. No more politics. It’s time to get it done.
Earlier this week my daughter was running through the halls of Congress with other kids, delivering stories to U.S. Senators from MomsRising members about why passing the Paycheck Fairness Act is so important. The kids were happy, and having so much fun. And as I was watching them have fun, I realized that they have no idea that they’ll have to wait until they’re in their late 40s to earn equal pay for equal work unless we act to close the wage gap. [2] This makes me angry. It’s patently unfair.
My daughters aren’t worth less than sons.
And, this issue doesn’t just impact our young daughters. Equal pay for equal work is more critical than ever since more women are now the primary or co-breadwinners of their families. [3] We also know that the pay gap increases with a woman’s age, leaving the average woman $430,000 short by the time she is 65. [4]
It’s time to double down and take the fight for equal pay to the next level.
*We can’t do it without you. Can you help us turbo-charge our equal pay campaign now by donating $23 or more?
http://action.momsrising.org/go/1886?t=6&akid=3335.90096.dWdUWQ
The Equal Pay Act was passed on June 10, 1963 – almost 50 years ago this coming Sunday and we are still nowhere near equal pay. Women in 2012, and moms in particular, are still paid less than men for doing the same job. The U.S. Census found that women who worked full-time, year-round on average still made 23 cents less for every dollar earned by men.[5] The wage gap for women of color is even more staggering. Black and hispanic women who work full-time, year-round, make only 64 and 56 cents, respectively, for every dollar their white, non-hispanic male counterparts earn. [6]
We are not done fighting. We are just getting started! It’s time for us to put a stop to this discrimination and hold our leaders accountable. We must remind Congress that they represent us and that Congress needs to take real action to close the wage gap before more families are thrust into poverty.
Can you pitch in by donating $23 or more today?
http://action.momsrising.org/go/1886?t=8&akid=3335.90096.dWdUWQ
Together we are a powerful voice for our daughters,
–Ruth, Kristin, Sarah, Elisa, Claire, and the MomsRising team
P.S. Wondering how your Senators voted on the Paycheck Fairness Act? Read the vote roll call here: http://action.momsrising.org/go/1891?t=10&akid=3335.90096.dWdUWQ.
[1] “Equal pay bill falls short in Senate,” POLITICO June, 5, 2012
[2] Institute for Women’s Policy Research
[4] Majority Staff of the Joint Economic Committee, United States Congress, 2010
[5] AAUW: The Simple Truth About the Pay Gap, 2012 (PDF)
[6] NWLC: Closing the Wage Gap is Especially Important for Women of Color, April, 2012 (PDF)
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