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Republicans Filibuster Equal Pay Legislation in Latest Display of Shameless Obstruction
3 min read • June 8, 2021
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3 min
Published:
June 8, 2021
for immediate release:
June 8, 2021

Republicans Filibuster Equal Pay Legislation in Latest Display of Shameless Obstruction

Plan to Engage Women Launches Today in Several States Where Women are Suffering

Fix Our Senate: “This is the latest example of Republican obstreperousness and another clear demonstration that the filibuster must be eliminated as Sen. McConnell’s weapon of partisan obstruction.” 

Supermajority: “This is why we support eliminating the filibuster — because it’s too often a tactic to block racial justice and equity”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, after Senate Republicans filibustered the Paycheck Fairness Act, Sen. Patty Murray’s bill to help address the gender pay gap in America, Fix Our Senate and Supermajority released the below statements calling on Democrats to finally eliminate the filibuster. Tonight’s vote comes on the heels of a Senate Republican filibuster that blocked the bipartisan commission to investigate the Jan. 6 insurrection and as the House continues to pass critical legislation destined to die in the Senate until the filibuster is fixed.

“Sen. McConnell is doing exactly what he promised to do: spending 100 percent of his energy blocking President Biden’s popular agenda that is supported by a majority of Americans and a majority of their representatives in Congress,” said Fix Our Senate spokesman Eli Zupnick. “This is the latest example of Republican obstreperousness and another clear demonstration that the filibuster must be eliminated as Sen. McConnell’s weapon of partisan obstruction.”

“Sadly our white male-dominated Senate just voted against narrowing the pay gap between women and men. This vote comes at a time when women, particularly women of color, are reeling from the horrible economic impacts of the pandemic,” said Amanda Brown Lierman, Executive Director of Supermajority. “These leaders are failing the very voters who put them in office. This is why we support eliminating the filibuster — because it’s too often a tactic to block racial justice and equity.”

Background

Women earn roughly 82 cents for every dollar a man makes — with an even wider gap for women of color.  The pandemic has also had a devastating effect on women in the workforce and exacerbated many of the underlying issues driving the pay gap.

This bill is overwhelmingly popular: a 2019 POLITICO/Morning Consult poll found that a majority of Americans believe the federal government is not doing enough to address the gender pay gap.

About Fix Our Senate 

Fix Our Senate is a campaign and coalition fighting for the broken Senate to be fixed so that the newly-elected government can get to work cleaning up President Trump’s messes and tackling the major challenges facing families, communities, and the country. Our highest priority is the elimination of the legislative filibuster, an outdated Senate rule that has been weaponized and abused by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to block overwhelmingly popular legislation supported by a majority of elected senators.

Fix Our Senate coordinates work with allied organizations and advocates, serves as a resource for research and messaging guidance, communicates to key audiences directly and through the media, and uses any and all tools at our disposal to educate and persuade senators, candidates, and the public about the need for reform.

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Supermajority is a women’s equality organization made up of women of all backgrounds, races, and ages who are coming together to build a voting bloc committed to creating a future where we are all truly equal. Supermajority is dedicated to building women’s collective political power by providing the information, training, and resources needed to take meaningful action at the local, state, and national levels.
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