Title: Recognizing the significance of equal pay and the disparity in wages paid to Latina women in comparison to men.
Policy area: Labor and Employment

Summary:
This concurrent resolution recognizes the disparity in wages paid to Latina women and its impact on women, families, the economy, and our entire country.
The resolution reaffirms its support for ensuring equal pay and closing the gender wage gap.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 76 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 76

 Recognizing the significance of equal pay and the disparity in wages 
               paid to Latina women in comparison to men.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 20, 2019

    Ms. Mucarsel-Powell (for herself, Mr. Espaillat, Mr. Garcia of 
  Illinois, Mr. Castro of Texas, Mr. Soto, Ms. Sanchez, Mr. Vela, Mr. 
 Cardenas, Mr. Gallego, Ms. Velazquez, Mrs. Napolitano, Mr. Carbajal, 
Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Vargas, Ms. Barragan, Ms. Torres Small of New Mexico, 
 and Mrs. Trahan) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which 
          was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Recognizing the significance of equal pay and the disparity in wages 
               paid to Latina women in comparison to men.

Whereas November 20, 2019, is Latina Equal Pay Day, which marks the day that 
        symbolizes how long into 2019 Latina women, on average, must work to 
        make what White, non-Hispanic men were paid in 2018;
Whereas section 6(d) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 
        206(d)(1)) prohibits discrimination in wages on the basis of sex for 
        equal work;
Whereas title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000e et seq.) 
        prohibits discrimination in compensation because of race, color, 
        religion, national origin, or sex;
Whereas despite the passage of the Equal Pay Act of 1963 (29 U.S.C. 206 note) 
        more than 5 decades ago, which establishes that employers shall not 
        discriminate in wages on the basis of sex but shall provide equal pay 
        for equal work, Census Bureau data shows that Latina women working full-
        time, year-round are typically paid 54 cents for every dollar paid to 
        White, non-Hispanic men;
Whereas if the current trends continue, on average Latina women will have to 
        wait 205 years to achieve equal pay;
Whereas the median annual pay for a Latina woman in the United States working 
        full-time, year-round is $33,540, which means that, on average, Latina 
        women lose over $1.1 million dollars in potential earnings over their 
        lifetime to the wage gap;
Whereas certain groups of Latinas experience even wider pay gaps, with 
        noncitizen immigrant Latinas being paid just 38 cents for every dollar 
        paid to White, non-Hispanic male workers;
Whereas lost wages mean Latina women have less money to support themselves and 
        their families, save and invest for the future, and spend on goods and 
        services;
Whereas the underpayment of Latina workers cause businesses and the economy to 
        suffer;
Whereas Latina women's median earnings are less than men's at every level of 
        academic achievement, with Latina women with less than a high school 
        diploma earning 18 percent less than White, non-Hispanic men, and Latina 
        women with an advanced degree earning 20 percent less than White, non-
        Hispanic men with the same level of education;
Whereas in the United States, more than 60.3 percent of Latina mothers are 
        primary, sole or cobreadwinners for their families, but Latina mothers 
        working full-time, year-round are typically paid only 46 percent as much 
        as White fathers;
Whereas the lack of access to affordable, quality child care, paid family and 
        medical leave, paid sick leave, and other family friendly workplace 
        policies force many Latina women to choose between their paycheck or job 
        and getting quality care for themselves or their family members, and 
        contributes to the wage gap;
Whereas if the wage gap were eliminated, on average, a Latina woman working 
        full-time, year-round would have enough money for approximately 3 years 
        of child care; more than 3 additional years of tuition and fees for a 4-
        year public university, or the full cost of tuition and fees for a 2-
        year community college; nearly 4 years of food for her family; more than 
        18 additional months of mortgage and utilities payments; 2 years of rent 
        payments; among other basic living expenses;
Whereas workplace harassment forces many women to leave their occupation or 
        industry, as targets of harassment were 6.5 times as likely as 
        nontargets to change jobs, or pass up opportunities for advancement, and 
        this contributes to the gender wage gap;
Whereas nearly two-thirds of workers paid the minimum wage or less are women, 
        and there is a disproportionate concentration of women of color in low-
        wage and tipped jobs;
Whereas more than 40 percent of private sector employees say that discussion of 
        wage and salary information is discouraged and another 25 percent report 
        that it is formally prohibited, which can hide pay discrimination and 
        prevent remedies;
Whereas the pay disparity Latina women face is part of a wider set of 
        disparities Latina women face in homeownership, unemployment, poverty, 
        access to child care, and the ability to accumulate wealth;
Whereas true pay equity requires a multi-faceted strategy that addresses the 
        gender and racial injustices that Latina women face daily; and
Whereas many national organizations have designated November 20, 2019, as Latina 
        Equal Pay Day to represent the additional time that Latina women must 
        work into the next calendar year to receive the earnings of their White, 
        non-Hispanic counterparts in the prior Census year: Now, therefore, be 
        it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) recognizes the disparity in wages paid to Latina women 
        and its impact on women, families, the economy and our entire 
        country; and
            (2) reaffirms its support for ensuring equal pay and 
        closing the gender wage gap.
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