American women have plenty to worry about. Car pools, aging parents, young children and just trying to make ends meet keep us plenty busy.
Stay-at-home moms and working women alike know what it means to set priorities — we do it every single day. Recently, the national spotlight has turned to the challenges faced by women in the workplace. This has been the subject of conversations in boardrooms, coffee shops and in the halls of Congress.
The subject of equal pay, though, isn’t a philosophical debate — it’s about being able to support ourselves and our families.
I have been working with my colleagues in the Senate and House of Representatives to present new policy ideas that enhance flexibility for women while also ensuring all Americans have the tools needed to advance in the workplace.
Many of us are conservative women who believe in a limited federal government. We also believe that women have made tremendous progress as a result of landmark federal laws. The Equal Pay Act of 1963 and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 have dramatically increased career opportunities for women and ensure that they receive equal pay for equal work.
Still, many American women believe there is persistent, gender-based wage discrimination in the workplace. It is clear there is more work to do. I fully agree that gender-based pay discrimination is unacceptable. I oppose well intentioned, but ultimately misguided policy prescriptions like the so-called Paycheck Fairness Act, which would hurt merit-based pay and actually curtail flexibility for women to negotiate unique employment arrangements. Instead I have offered alternative ideas on how to combat pay discrimination.
Last year, the Republican women of the Senate offered a legislative proposal that would, among other things, reinforce employers’ obligations to fully apprise employees of their rights regarding pay discrimination. Knowledge is power, and our bill equips women who might otherwise be unaware of their ability to recover lost wages.
The proposal also includes much-needed, non-retaliation language. Such language is similar to an April 8, 2014, executive order signed by President Obama. It does not authorize any new federal regulations, nor does it compel employers to disclose salary information. It prevents punitive action against employees seeking information. It’s very simple — if you want to know how your salary compares to your coworkers, you should have every right to ask. It’s as basic as the First Amendment.
Just two weeks ago, as part of the fiscal 2016 budget, the Republican-led United States Senate passed an amendment I offered containing this equal pay proposal. Unlike previous proposals from Democrats, this idea garnered bipartisan backing and passed with the support of Senators Angus King, I-Maine, Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Joe Donnelly, D-Ind. What’s more, 53 Republicans also voted for the idea.
It’s common sense and a fresh solution to an old problem. Any legislator — Republican or Democrat — who is seriously interested in making progress on this issue for women and moving past electioneering and scoring political points should step up and support the proposal. For the first time in over half a century, we have the opportunity to update the Equal Pay Act with a bill that actually provides changes and can realistically pass — my Workplace Advancement Act (S. 875).
We are off to a good start in the 114th Congress and I am eager to work on the many challenges facing American women and our nation as a whole. Moving forward, I will continue to work with my colleagues on proposals that will empower women to pursue their passions, achieve their dreams, and have the opportunity to provide a better life for themselves and their families. With a lot less stress and a little more help, women can finally start to have some peace of mind.
Deb Fischer, a Republican, is Nebraska’s senior senator, in office since January 2013. Thinking of submitting an op-ed to the Washington Examiner? Be sure to read our guidelines on submissions for editorials, available at this link.
