E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 113 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 160 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014 No. 57 Senate The Senate met at 10 a.m. and was SCHEDULE Consider this just for a brief moment: called to order by the President pro Mr. REID. Mr. President, following For a woman to make the same salary tempore (Mr. LEAHY). my remarks and those of the Repub- as a man in 1 year for doing similar lican leader, the Senate will be in work in America, she must work not PRAYER morning business until 12:30 p.m., with only that year but also an additional 3 The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- the time equally divided and con- months and 8 days. That is why today, fered the following prayer: trolled. The Senate will recess from April 8, the eighth day of the fourth Let us pray. 12:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. for our weekly month, is Equal Pay Day. It represents Eternal God, today make our law- caucus meetings, as we always do on the extra work American women have makers instruments of Your grace and Tuesdays. to put forth to provide for their fami- goodness. Teach them how to be pa- MEASURE PLACED ON THE CALENDAR—H.R. 2575 lies. This is an injustice and should not tient with themselves and each other. Mr. President, I understand that H.R. be permitted to take place in America. Forgive them when they permit impa- 2575 is at the desk and due for a second While President Obama and Democrats tience to lead them astray, preventing reading. have made significant progress toward them from seeing the wonder and maj- The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. helping women achieve equal pay, esty of Your purpose for our Nation BOOKER). The clerk will read the bill by there is still much for us to do. Five years ago the very first law and world. Lord, renew in them the joy title for the second time. President Obama ever signed, the first of belonging to You as they yield their The bill clerk read as follows: act he performed in the Oval Office, hearts to You in trust and love. May no A bill (H.R. 2575) to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the 30-hour was to sign the Lilly Ledbetter Fair duty be left undone and no construc- threshold for classification of a full-time em- Pay Act. Remember, this is the legisla- tive words be left unsaid. ployee for purposes of the employer mandate tion based on the good woman who We pray in Your holy Name. Amen. in the Patient Protection and Affordable found out—after having worked at this f Care Act and replace it with 40 hours. place for so many years, having addi- PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Mr. REID. I object to any further tional responsibilities than all the proceedings at this time. men—they were all getting paid much The President pro tempore led the The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec- more than she. She was the boss get- Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: tion having been heard, the bill will be ting paid less than the people who I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the placed on the calendar. worked for her. Why? Because she is a United States of America, and to the Repub- EQUAL PAY DAY woman. lic for which it stands, one nation under God, Mr. REID. Mr. President, Ralph indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. The Lilly Ledbetter legislation is the Waldo Emerson said this: ‘‘America is biggest step Congress has taken on be- f another name for opportunity.’’ half of women to help them with their RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY ‘‘America is another name for oppor- wages since the Equal Pay Act of 1963. LEADER tunity.’’ The bill provides that the statute of Today this body, the Senate, should The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The limitations doesn’t begin to run until put Emerson’s words to the test as we majority leader is recognized. someone finds out they are being turn attention to the question of equal cheated by their employer. The legisla- f pay. For working American women, tion helped address the pay gap, but PAYCHECK FAIRNESS ACT— millions of whom are primary wage women still suffer from discriminatory MOTION TO PROCEED earners for their families, the Pay- wage disparity. Mr. REID. Mr. President, I now move check Fairness Act represents a unique The Paycheck Fairness Act goes a to proceed to Calendar No. 345, S. 2199, opportunity, a chance to better provide step further by providing protections the Paycheck Fairness Act. for themselves and their families. for women in the workplace. This legis- It is unconscionable that American The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The lation addresses unequal wages by em- women currently take home an average clerk will report the motion. powering women to negotiate for equal of 77 cents for every dollar their male The bill clerk read as follows: pay and giving employers incentives to colleagues earn for doing the exact obey current law. Motion to proceed to Calendar No. 345, S. same work. Wage disparity is true re- 2199, a bill to amend the Fair Labor Stand- I was happy to hear all the news ac- ards Act of 1938 to provide more effective gardless of whether a woman has a col- counts that I was able to be briefed remedies to victims of discrimination in the lege degree, what job she holds or how on—along with those I listened to on payment of wages on the basis of sex, and for many hours she spends at the office or public radio while I was doing my exer- other purposes. factory or wherever it might be. cises—the detailed accounts about how ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S2203 . VerDate Sep 11 2014 08:14 Feb 06, 2015 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORD14\APR 2014\S08AP4.REC S08AP4 DSKD7QTVN1PROD with CONG-REC-ONLINE S2204 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE April 8, 2014 women are not treated fairly. The leg- my State will undoubtedly reclaim it vative ways to generate the kind of islation we are working on enables next year. stable, well-paying jobs that Ameri- women to fight against wage discrimi- JOB CREATION SOLUTIONS cans actually want. We also know we nation while also preventing retalia- Mr. President, America’s middle can get more done as a country if both tion against employees who discuss sal- class is struggling. They need serious parties can work together to see these ary information. Before Lilly job creation solutions, but that is not policies through and leave behind the Ledbetter and even today if you discuss what they have been getting from the sterile campaign theatrics that have what someone else makes you can be President. He seems more intent on been on daily display in the Senate fired. That is the way it is in most staging campaign-style rallies to be- under the Democratic majority. places in America. It would finally give moan an economy he has been pre- I am asking our Democratic col- much needed assistance to victims of siding over for the last 51⁄2 years, not to leagues to consider dropping all the gender-based pay discrimination. offer solutions but more to do what he show votes, the blame deflecting, and Simply put, the Paycheck Fairness does best, which is to shift the blame the perpetual campaigning. What I am Act gives American women the fair to others. asking is for them to consider shifting shot they deserve. Unfortunately, ef- Meanwhile, yesterday in the Senate from policies that don’t work—in other forts to address this issue have not Republicans were hoping the majority words, what they have been trying for been well received by Republicans. A leader would finally work with us to the last 51⁄2 years—to ones that will. similar bill addressing equal pay—de- pass a job creation package that con- Every Senator was sent here to get spite a Republican filibuster—passed tains ideas from many of our Mem- things done for our constituents, and Congress and the Congress before that. bers—legislation with provisions sev- we can. We can pass a positive jobs Let’s hope the third time is a charm eral key Democrats support as well— agenda for the American people. All we for American women. Let’s hope Re- but that is not what the majority lead- need is for Washington Democrats to publicans will finally do what is right. er chose to do. Instead of focusing on work with us for a change. In any other circumstance Repub- jobs, he launched into another con- I have one other item. This morning licans would be up in arms with this fusing attack on the left’s latest bi- IRS Commissioner Koskin will testify type of economic discrimination—I zarre obsession. before the Finance Committee. I am would hope. They should be up in arms Think about that. The percentage of sure Members will be reminding him of in terms of equal pay for women also. Americans in the workforce is almost this, and I know several sent a letter Why is it that so many Republicans are at a four-decade low, and Democrats yesterday too. But I would like to un- content to allow women working the chose to ignore serious job creation derline the point.