Obama announces rules for closing gender pay gap . 
In his final year in office , President Barack Obama is returning to an issue that was at the heart of the first piece of legislation he ever signed at the White House : the gender pay gap . 
Obama on Friday unveiled new rules that would compel companies with more than 100 employees to provide the federal government annual data for how much they pay employees based on gender , race and ethnicity . 
RELATED : Obama in final address to Dem caucus : ` We will win In November ' . 
Andra Gillespie , a political science professor at Emory University , said gender inequality and fair pay became a marquee issue during the presidential election four years ago , so it 's not surprising that Obama would wind down his term talking about it again . 
RELATED : Obama weighs in on the Oscars diversity . 
Obama asked . 
"One thing that is very clear is that -LRB- Obama 's -RRB- being consistent with how he 's looked at this issue ," Gillespie said . 
In addition , Obama renewed his call to Congress to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act , which would potentially close loopholes in the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and require employers to prove that pay gaps are due to legitimate business reasons , not discrimination . 
Ledbetter , whose name is on the legislation Obama signed on Jan. 29 , 2009 , said in an essay Thursday that she 's backing Clinton 's run for the White House . 
"The notion that we would somehow be keeping my daughters ... any of your daughters out of opportunity , not allowing them to thrive in any field , not allowing them to fully participate in every human endeavor , that 's counterproductive ," Obama said . 
"President Obama has not rested on his Ledbetter laurels ," Ledbetter joked at the announcement Friday before announcing the president . 
"I know we 'll always have a powerful ally in President Obama ," she said , adding that "we owe it to our daughters , our granddaughters and ourselves" to ensure the pay gap issue is n't forgotten . 
The new rules would require Obama to use his executive powers , which he has been criticized by Republicans for doing often during his presidency as he looks to shore up his legacy as a champion of civil rights and progressive issues .
In his final year in office , [TGT] is returning to an issue that was at the heart of the first piece of legislation [TGT] ever signed at the White House : the gender pay gap . 
[TGT] on Friday unveiled new rules that would compel companies with more than 100 employees to provide the federal government annual data for how much they pay employees based on gender , race and ethnicity . 
RELATED : Obama in final address to Dem caucus : ` We will win In November ' . 
Andra Gillespie , a political science professor at Emory University , said gender inequality and fair pay became a marquee issue during the presidential election four years ago , so it 's not surprising that [TGT] would wind down [TGT] term talking about it again . 
RELATED : [TGT] weighs in on the Oscars diversity . 
[TGT] asked . 
"One thing that is very clear is that -LRB- [TGT] 's -RRB- being consistent with how [TGT] 's looked at this issue ," Gillespie said . 
In addition , [TGT] renewed [TGT] call to Congress to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act , which would potentially close loopholes in the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and require employers to prove that pay gaps are due to legitimate business reasons , not discrimination . 
Ledbetter , whose name is on the legislation [TGT] signed on Jan. 29 , 2009 , said in an essay Thursday that [TGT] 's backing Clinton 's run for the White House . 
"The notion that we would somehow be keeping my daughters ... any of your daughters out of opportunity , not allowing them to thrive in any field , not allowing them to fully participate in every human endeavor , that 's counterproductive ," [TGT] said . 
"[TGT] has not rested on [TGT] Ledbetter laurels ," Ledbetter joked at the announcement Friday before announcing [TGT] . 
"I know we 'll always have a powerful ally in [TGT] ," she said , adding that "we owe it to our daughters , our granddaughters and ourselves" to ensure the pay gap issue is n't forgotten . 
The new rules would require [TGT] to use [TGT] executive powers , which [TGT] has been criticized by Republicans for doing often during [TGT] presidency as [TGT] looks to shore up [TGT] legacy as a champion of civil rights and progressive issues .