Recognizing the significance of equal pay and the disparity in wages paid to Latina women in comparison to White, non-Hispanic men.

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 131 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 131

 Recognizing the significance of equal pay and the disparity in wages 
     paid to Latina women in comparison to White, non-Hispanic men.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 25, 2024

 Ms. Leger Fernandez (for herself, Ms. Barragan, Mr. Castro of Texas, 
    Ms. Salinas, Ms. Garcia of Texas, Ms. Caraveo, Mr. Doggett, Ms. 
Sanchez, Mr. Garcia of Illinois, Mr. Vargas, Ms. Castor of Florida, Mr. 
     Costa, Ms. Escobar, Ms. Norton, Ms. Porter, Ms. Bonamici, Mr. 
 Espaillat, Ms. Chu, Mr. Carbajal, Mr. Cleaver, Ms. DeLauro, Mr. Ruiz, 
    Mrs. Ramirez, Mr. Carson, Mr. Gomez, Ms. Tlaib, Ms. Adams, Mr. 
   Cardenas, Mr. Correa, and Mr. Gottheimer) submitted the following 
concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education 
                           and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Recognizing the significance of equal pay and the disparity in wages 
     paid to Latina women in comparison to White, non-Hispanic men.

Whereas October 3, 2024, is designated as ``Latina Equal Pay Day'' to observe 
        the pay gap between Latina women and White, non-Hispanic men;
Whereas, as of 2024, there are 13,907,000 Hispanic women in the labor force, 
        representing slightly more than 17 percent of all women in the labor 
        force;
Whereas section 6(d) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 206(d)) 
        (commonly known as the ``Equal Pay Act of 1963'') 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 (Public Law 88-38; 77 
        Stat. 56) more than 6 decades ago, which established that employers 
        shall not discriminate in wages on the basis of sex, but shall provide 
        equal pay for equal work, Bureau of the Census data show that Latina 
        women working full-time and year-round are paid 58 cents for every 
        dollar paid to White, non-Hispanic men, while the average wage 
        differential for all Latina women with reported earnings working full-
        time, part-time, and part-year is 51 cents for every dollar paid to 
        White, non-Hispanic men;
Whereas an analysis by the National Partnership for Women & Families of data 
        from the Bureau of the Census shows that disabled Latina women are paid 
        44 cents for every dollar paid to White, non-Hispanic, nondisabled men;
Whereas the National Women's Law Center has calculated that, on average, Latina 
        women lose over $1,200,000 in potential earnings over a 40-year career 
        to the wage gap;
Whereas, at the rate observed in 2023, Latina women will not reach equal pay 
        with White non-Hispanic men for 182 years after the date of enactment of 
        this resolution;
Whereas, in 2024, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Bureau of the Census 
        reported the median annual pay for all Latina women in the United States 
        working full-time, part-time, and part-year was $32,410, compared to the 
        median annual pay of $63,210 for White, non-Hispanic men;
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, approximately 51 percent of Latina women are unable to earn sick days 
        through their jobs;
Whereas the lack of access to affordable, quality child care, paid family and 
        medical leave, and other family-friendly workplace policies forces many 
        Latina women to choose between their paycheck or job and getting quality 
        care for themselves or their family members, a dynamic that contributes 
        to the wage gap;
Whereas, if the annual wage gap were eliminated, on average, a Latina woman 
        working full-time and year-round would have enough money to pay for 
        nearly 3 years of childcare, 37 months of food, or more than 16 months 
        of mortgage and utility payments;
Whereas workplace harassment forces many women to leave their occupation or 
        industry, or pass up opportunities for advancement, which contributes to 
        the gender wage gap;
Whereas targets of workplace harassment are 6.5 times as likely as nontargets to 
        change jobs;
Whereas there is a high personal cost for women who have been sexually harassed, 
        including unemployment, under-employment, and financial stress resulting 
        from changing jobs, which lead to long-term consequences for earnings 
        and career attainment;
Whereas, in 2023, nearly 70 percent of workers paid the minimum wage or less 
        were women, and there was a disproportionate concentration of women of 
        color in low-wage and tipped jobs;
Whereas the pay disparity Latina women face is part of a wider set of 
        disparities Latina women face in homeownership, unemployment, poverty, 
        access to childcare, and the ability to build wealth;
Whereas the underpayment of Latina women workers causes businesses and the 
        economy to suffer;
Whereas true pay equity requires a multifaceted strategy that addresses the 
        gender and racial injustices that Latina women face daily; and
Whereas many national organizations have designated October 3, 2024, as ``Latina 
        Equal Pay Day'' to recognize the pay gap between Latina women and White, 
        non-Hispanic men in the prior 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 the impact of that disparity on women, families, the 
        economy, and the United States; and
            (2) reaffirms its support for ensuring equal pay and 
        closing the gender wage gap.
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