Lujan Statement on Equal Pay Day

Statement

U.S. House Assistant Speaker Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) issued the following statement recognizing Equal Pay Day:

"Today, we recognize Equal Pay Day -- the point in the new year that it takes for women to earn what their male counterparts earned last year. This day lays bare the painful reality that much work is still needed to achieve gender equality and justice for women and girls.

"As our nation faces an unprecedented public health crisis, we must ensure that values of equality and justice are written into every policy we enact so our economic recovery supports all Americans. To achieve this progress, I remain committed to closing the gender wage gap that burdens women and families and affirming that equal work deserves equal pay."

Equal Pay Day 2020 comes 90 days into the new year -- meaning, on average, women need to work an additional three months to achieve the same salary as a male colleague. Despite progress, the wage gap remains an enormous economic drain on our families and economy. For every dollar a man makes, overall, women make 81.6 cents. But, the wage gap grows for women of color, where Latina women make 54 cents, Native American women make 57 cents, Black women make 62 cents, and Asian American and Pacific Islander women make 92 cents.

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