LANSING — Yesterday, was the 55th anniversary of the Equal Pay Act of 1963, signed into law by President John F. Kennedy. In response, state Rep. Erika Geiss (D-Taylor) issued the following statement:
“Looking back to the signing of this very important law, I find myself in agreement with the sentiment President Kennedy expressed after signing the Equal Pay Act he said 'It is a first step. It affirms our determination that when women enter the labor force they will find equality in their pay envelopes.' While the Equal Pay Act represented a monumental victory for the time, there is still much concrete work left to be in done in the fight for true pay equity today. As a lawmaker I am tasked with fighting to ensure every single Michigander has an equal opportunity for success, and in no place is that more critical than their paycheck. More and more women are becoming the sole or primary breadwinners in their households, but when someone is unable to earn their worth because of an arbitrary factor like their gender, it not only prevents them from achieving their full potential, it holds us all back in the long run.
“The simple truth is that Michigan cannot compete in the 21st century if half of our population is unable to afford the basics, to support their family or to plan for the future. If Michigan is going to move forward, the time to address equal pay is now. I am confident that we can achieve this worthy goal. I took time yesterday in honor of the anniversary to see how far we have come, and I look forward to working on what we have left to achieve.”