Urgent Action Needed - UPDATED

Well, we did it! Thank you for your help. From The Feminist Majority Foundation:

The House of Representatives passed the Paycheck Fairness Act Thursday with a 247 to 178 vote. The bill was sponsored by Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro and will strengthen the Equal Pay Act of 1963 by introducing non-retaliation requirements and increasing penalties on employers, among other provisions.

Though the bill allows women to sue for punitive and compensatory damages under the Equal Pay Act, it does not lift caps on sexual discrimination cases that women face under Title VII. In her floor statement DeLauro clarified that the bill "simply makes clear that when an employer states that its pay scale is informed by a 'factor other than sex,' that must actually be true, and not just an excuse to continue discriminatory practices."

Speaker Nancy Pelosi praised the act as making "common-sense changes to strengthen the Equal Pay Act so that it will be a more effective tool in combating gender-based pay discrimination." Congresswoman Maloney expressed that "women's work should be valued equally. Passing this bill today is an important step toward making that happen."

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Via MomsRising:

...we just found out that a vote is scheduled TOMORROW in the U.S. House on another great bill, the Paycheck Fairness Act! We have huge chance to make a difference today by letting our U.S. Representatives know that moms are all for fair pay, and that we're tired of making only 77 cents to every $1 made by men!

So flex your pointer finger for another mighty click to send a..letter on wage discrimination to Congress...

The Paycheck Fairness Act, among other things, strengthens the original "Equal Pay for Equal Work" act of 1963, closes some pretty lame loopholes, and prohibits employer retaliation. Not convinced? Depending on which study you believe, women in the U.S. earn not more than 80% of what their equally qualified male counterparts do.

Send your senators the message today. Now. Please.