Paycheck Fairness Act Debate Blocked by Senate

Republicans block debate for want of two votes. They don't even want to talk about it.

The Paycheck Fairness Act (S.3772) was blocked on a procedural vote by a minority of senators on Nov. 17th. The 58 votes

 

in its favor fell just below the 60 required to open substantive debate on the legislation. As AAUW Director of Public Policy and Government Relations Lisa Maatz put it

 

, "This de facto filibuster of fair pay by Senate Republicans ensured that we never got to a debate on the bill's merits. Strategically, I can't blame them --- they can' t win a fair fight against pay equity." 

Following the vote, President Obama issued a statement

 

noting his deep disappointment and pledged to continue his administration"s support for stronger protections of women"s equality in the workforce. Maatz and AAUW received personal thanks

 

  from the president for all the hard

 

work

 

on behalf of the Paycheck Fairness Act. To watch his remarks, click here

 

.

 

Take Action! Let your senators know how you feel about their vote on the Paycheck Fairness Act, and urge

 

them to support future legislation aimed at closing the wage gap.

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CEDAW Hearing - When will the US ratify this treaty?

Image via Wikipedia:Countries that have ratified CEDAW

CEDAW is finally receiving the attention it deserves. 

 

Women's Rights Treaty Gets First Senate Hearing in Eight Years

 

The Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law held a hearing

 just before Thanksgiving

on the long-neglected United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. 

 

CEDAW is the only international agreement that comprehensively addresses women's rights, providing a universal definition of discrimination against women that establishes a basis for every government's domestic and foreign policy. Although CEDAW was passed by the U.N. General Assembly in 1979 and signed by President Carter in 1980, the United States remains one of just seven nations

 

(including Iran and Somalia) that has failed to ratify the treaty. Treaty ratification requires a 2/3 vote (67 votes) of the Senate, more votes than many other critical women's rights bills have received recently. However, the hearing, coupled by the recent support for ratification

 

voiced by first female Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Conner, is a positive sign

 

 

AAUW has endorsed

 

CEDAW ratification since 1981 and is a longtime supporter of U.N. programs addressing the rights of women and girls. To learn more about the coalition working to ratify the treaty, visit www.CEDAW2010.org

 

.

Related articles

• STAR POWER: Geena Davis testifies on the Hill (politico.com)
• U.S. still opposes equal rights for women (dailykos.com)
• Pop Quiz: What Do the US, Iran, Somalia, Sudan and Tonga Have in Common? (humanrights.change.org)

Paycheck Fairness Vote This Week. Call in NOW!

Help Batgirl in the Battle for Fair Pay Watch the Batgirl vs.Unfair Pay Take Action! The lame duck Senate is slated to vote on the Paycheck Fairness Act this Wednesday. If we don't get it passed now, we start over again and the odds of getting it passed become negligible -- probably for years. Tuesday, Nov. 17, is a national call-in day to support the Paycheck Fairness Act. Please call your Senators toll-free at 877/667-6650. Thank Senators Schumer and Gillibrand for sponsoring the Act. Ask them to work hard to pass it without amendment so that it will go directly to President Obama's desk for signature. SHARE our Batgirl video on Facebook and Twitter and by email and encourage your friends to call! And remember - Batgirl always calls more than once when it's super important! 877/667-6650 AAUW NY Kingston Branch

Related articles

• Paycheck Fairness and the Myth of Runaway Verdicts (blog-aauw.org)
• Women Still Make Only 77 Cents (blog-aauw.org)