The Senate today failed to reach a decision on a bill designed to make it easier for women to sue their employers over wage discrimination, bringing a backlash from Democrats.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) called Wednesday’s failure of the Senate to end debate on the Paycheck Fairness Act on a 58-41 vote, “outrageous” and “egregious.”
Gillibrand said women earn 78 cents to every dollar made by men. That amount decreases to 62 cents for black women and 53 cents for Latina women.
“If we care about our country’s future and we care about our children we will support fair pay,” she said today on MSNBC. “I think it was a partisan vote, I think it was egregious, and it’s just a sorry state of some people in Washington who put politics first and people last.”
President Obama said he would continue to work for equal pay after the bill failed to get the 60 votes it needed to advance.
“I am deeply disappointed that a minority of senators have prevented the Paycheck Fairness Act from finally being brought up for a debate and receiving a vote,” he said in a statement.