WASHINGTON, D.C. — Marking Equal Pay Day, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (MA-5) joined Rep. Rosa DeLauro (CT-3), the Democratic Women's Caucus, and equal pay advocates to announce the reintroduction of the Paycheck Fairness Act. Below is a transcript of her remarks: 

"I don't know if you recall what President Trump promised us last year? He said: 'I want to protect the women of our country, whether the women like it or not.' He’s really delivering on the 'or not' part of that phrase.  

"Nine weeks in, Republicans are cutting maternity care. They’re cutting domestic violence prevention and breast cancer research. They’re cutting child care and gutting our public schools. They’re threatening Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. They even dismantled an Executive Order that protected equal pay. And why? All to further enrich the top 1% in this country. 

"Well, here’s the House Democrats’ message this Equal Pay Day: A full day’s work demands a full day’s pay!

"And what’s the state of equal pay right now? 75 cents on the dollar for women. That gap is persistent. It’s pernicious. And it’s growing for the first time in 20 years.

"MAGA Republicans promised to help Americans. They promised to raise wages. They promised to lower costs. And instead, they’re pursuing one goal at the expense of working Americans. And that goal is to help the rich get richer. 

"By taking from working people. Cutting the services they depend on. And driving up the prices at the checkout counter. Pushing down the wages they take home every week.

"The fight for equal pay shouldn’t be a partisan one. This shouldn’t be hard. If Republicans cared about working families, if they cared about keeping their promise, they’d join us today in passing the Paycheck Fairness Act.

"Women make up half of the 99% of Americans who actually work for a living. You deserve a fair paycheck. You deserve a fair shot at the American Dream. 

"So while Republicans continue to steal from you to enrich the billionaire donors, Democrats and [the] Democratic Women's Caucus are fighting back with everything we have."

To watch the full press conference, click HERE. For photos, click HERE.

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