Sec. 2. Findings

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Congress makes the following findings: In 1963, Congress passed on a bipartisan basis the Equal Pay Act of 1963 to prohibit discrimination on account of sex in the payment of wages for equal work performed by employees for employers engaged in commerce or in the production of goods for commerce. Following the passage of such Act, in 1964, Congress passed on a bipartisan basis the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Since the passage of both the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and the Civil Rights Act of 1964, women have made significant strides, both in the workforce and in their educational pursuits.

Currently, according to a Prudential Research Study, 60 percent of women are the primary earners in their households and the Bureau of Labor Statistics has found that 47 percent of women are members of the workforce. According to the Department of Education, women receive 57 percent of all college degrees, a 33 percent increase from 1970. Women hold the majority of positions in the 5 fastest growing fields, and women are more likely than men to work in professional and related occupations.

Despite this significant progress, surveys suggest there is a concern among American women that gender-based pay discrimination still exists. Over the last 15 years, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has received on average 2,400 complaints annually alleging gender-based pay discrimination. This represents two to three percent of charges filed with the Commission during the same time period. Even though the Commission determines that no discrimination occurred in a majority of these complaints, the extent to which these allegations continue underscores there is still progress to be made.

A number of factors contribute to differences in total compensation, including variations in occupation, education, hours worked, institutional knowledge, and other business reasons and personal choices that shape career paths and earning potential.