Just Released: Ledbetter Bill Passes in Final Congressional Vote

The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act cleared its final hurdle in Congress today when the House of Representatives passed the bill in a final vote.  President Obama has pledged to sign the bill, possibly as early as this week.  A statement from Marcia D. Greenberger, Co-President of the National Women’s Law Center, follows.

“Congress has finally righted the Supreme Court’s wrong. Victims of pay discrimination will no longer be forced to sit back and accept illegal wage discrimination in the workplace. The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act makes clear that all employees have regained the right to fight for the pay they deserve under anti-discrimination laws in effect for over 40 years.

“We thank the Members of Congress who championed the cause of equal pay for equal work and voted in favor of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. We also thank President Obama, who has supported bill and pledged to sign it into law. This is a great win for women, for all of those subject to pay discrimination, and for our country as a whole.

“Congress must now also pass the Paycheck Fairness Act, another key piece of legislation that will build on the Ledbetter bill by improving incentives for employers to comply with the law and the ability of employees to secure compliance with it.”