EMILYs List Statement on Equal Pay Day 2017

April 4, 2017

EMILYs List Statement on Equal Pay Day 2017

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today EMILYs List President Stephanie Schriock released the following statement on Equal Pay Day, the date that symbolizes how far into the year women must work to earn what men earned in the previous year. Women make 80 cents for every dollar earned by a man, losing hundreds of thousands of dollars over a 40-year career. 

“Gender discrimination in pay isn’t a niche issue. Pay inequality hurts tens of millions of hardworking American women and families who want a fair shot at the American dream. As president, Donald Trump joins a long line of Republican politicians who push damaging policies that maintain this outdated, deeply unfair status quo.”

“Now more than ever we need more women in Congress to fight for equal pay and to close the wage gap for good. The EMILYs List community is committed to helping elect more pro-choice Democratic women who will prioritize commonsense equal pay policies and hold accountable those Republicans who continue to fight against equality and progress.”

EMILY’s List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, has raised over $500 million to support pro-choice Democratic women candidates – making them one of the most successful political organizations ever. Our grassroots community of over five million members helps Democratic women wage competitive campaigns – and win. We recruit and train candidates, support strong campaigns, research the issues that impact women and families, and turn out women voters. Since our founding in 1985, we have trained nearly 10,000 women to run and helped elect 116 women to the House, 23 to the Senate, 12 governors, and over 800 to state and local office. Forty percent of the candidates EMILY’s List has helped elect to Congress have been women of color – including every single Latina, African American, and Asian American Democratic congresswoman currently serving.