(Washington, DC) – Today, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) voted in favor of H.R. 7, the Paycheck Fairness Act. The Congresswoman is an original co-sponsor of the bill, which passed the House this afternoon. This bipartisan legislation strengthens and closes loopholes in the 1963 Equal Pay Act.

“Today’s vote was an important step forward for women in the workforce. With more women serving in Congress than ever, we will work to close the pay gap between men and women for the same work,” said Congresswoman Fletcher. “I am proud to be an original co-sponsor of this legislation, and I’m proud to see it pass the house today.”

56 years after the enactment of the Equal Pay Act, full-time working women still earn just 80 cents, on average, for every dollar a man earns, amounting to a yearly gap of $10,169 between full-time working men and women. The wage gap is even larger for women of color, with African American women earning only 61 cents for every dollar paid to white men and Latinas earning only 53 cents for every dollar paid to white men.

The Paycheck Fairness Act includes key provisions that require employers to prove that pay disparities exist for legitimate, job-related reasons and ensures women can receive the same robust remedies for sex-based discrimination that are currently available to those subjected to discrimination based on race and ethnicity.