that's why the first bill that i signed as president was the lilly ledbetter fair pay act. earlier this year in the anniversary of that day the equal employment opportunity commission and the department of labor act at two began collecting annual data on paid by gender race and ethnicity. this action will strengthen enforcement equal pay laws ardila books and help employers address pay gaps on their own. to build on these efforts congress needs to pass the paycheck fairness act to put sensible rules in place to make sure -- [applause] to make sure employees don't face retaliation by their employers. i'm not here just to say we should close the wage gap. i'm here to say we will close the wage gap and if you don't believe me -- [applause] if you don't believe that we are going to close that wage gap dump them come into this house because this house has the story of the national women's party whose members thought to have their voices heard. these women first organized in 1912 with little money, with hopes for equality for women all around the world. they wanted an equal say o

that's why the first bill that i signed as president was the lilly ledbetter fair pay act. earlier this year on the anniversary that they have equal opportunity opportunity commission and the department of labor acted to begin collecting annual data on pay by gender, race and ethnicity. it will force and -- strengthen addressing pay around. appel on these efforts congress needs to pass the paycheck fairness act to put sensible rules in place. [applause] to make sure that employees who discuss their salaries don't face retaliation by their employers but i am not here just to say we should close the wage gap. i'm here to say we will close the wage gap and if you don't believe me, if you don't believe that we are going to close at wage gap you don't need to come to this house because this house has -- [applause] this is the story of the national women's party whose members are to have their voices heard. these women first organized in 1912 with little money, with big hopes for equality for women all around the world. they want an equal say over their children come over their p

what was billed on the success of the lilly ledbetter fair pay act which clarifies 180 day statute of limitations for filing a lawsuit on pay discrimination with each effective pay check. this was signed into law by personal palm in 2003 senator mikulski, you remember that day, w. because president obama signed a bill took the first designed it and handed it to you today remember that because i sat there and thought that's entirely appropriate that a senator who has dedicated her life to this inequality for women at work would receive the first then for the first bill signed into law by this new president. my republican colleagues where do with us on this issue? do you agree that your daughter should be paid the same as your sons for doing the same work? here really is the basic issue and shouldn't have anything to do with party label so we invite you to join us. this shouldn't be a partisan issue at all. it's just a matter of fairness and i urge my colleagues to support this legislation and i yield the floor. >> mr. president. >> the senator from maryland. >> mr. president i come to

we wrote and passed the lilly ledbetter fair pay act. this important legislation clarified the statute of limitations for filing an equal pay lawsuit regarding pay discrimination, and i was proud to stand with president obama when he signed this, the very first law he signed into law as president. the progress achieved seven years ago was important, but they fight for equal pay for -- but the fight for equal pay for equal work continues today. so i'm proud to cosponsor senator mikulski's paycheck fairness act, an important bill to assure equal pay for equal work, a principle that people say they agree with but for too long it's failed to be a reality. and today, women from all over my state of vermont will assemble at the vermont state house. they will highlight the initiative known as change the story. it aims to improve the economic status of women in my state. they will note that while vermont women fare slightly better than the average around the country, the current pay to wage gap will not disappear before the year 2048. that is fa

woman.e a mark: the first season of legislation the president signed upon taking office was the lilly ledbetterair pay act. in other news today, nearly one month after the missouri presidential primary, hillary clinton donald trump have been certified as winners. both front runners edged out rivals by a mere fraction of a percent. the results are so close, so a recount is still possible. candidates have seven days to request one. we expect to hear from house speaker paul ryan this afternoon to address the republican national council in washington. say he isship aides expected to rule out any bid for presidency. the former vice president on him and he has repeatedly said he is not interested in the job. the news conference is set for 3:15 new york time. news 24 hours a day powered by our 2400 journalists in more than 150 news bureaus around the world. lisa: thanks. bloomberg markets will be taking his speech live at 3:15 a.m. aboutl be talking perhaps not running for president. let's look at commodities. the markets are closing in new york. silver is funny -- finally catching up to the gold rall

that's why the first bill that i signed as president was the lilly ledbetter fair pay act.lier this year, on the anniversary of that day, the equal employment opportunity commission and the department of labor acted to begin collecting annual data on pay by gender, race, and ethnicity, and this action will strengthen the enforcement of equal pay laws that are already on the books and help employers address pay gaps on their own. and to build on these efforts, congress needs to pass the paycheck fairness act, to put sensible rules in place and make sure -- [ applause ] and make sure that employees who discuss their salaries don't face retaliation by their employers. but i'm not here just to say we should close the wage gap. i'm here to say we will close the wage gap. and if you don't believe me, then -- if you don't believe we're going to close that wage gap, you need to come visit this house. because this house has a story to tell. this is the story of the national women's party, whose members fought to have their voices heard. these women first organized in 1912, with litt

barack obama talks about empathy, he talked about it in the campaign trail and use the example of lilly ledbetter. you'll remember remember lily ledbetter worked in this companyss n now let bame found out when some a pastor note that she was making less than men for the same job. she then sued the five justices on the supreme court and then that was a travesty as far as barack obama was concerned.king working on the book about michelle obama i spent a good deal of time at harvard law school where she spent three years in the mid- 80s talking with her that she was not the sort of legal scholar who cared about how many angels would fit on the head of a pin. as her mentors told me, she cared about outcomes she caredou about results and what the law would mean in day-to-day life, something barack obama talksr about, david wilkinson was one of the mentors and a law professor to harvard set in fact that she wanted to know what would be fair and just and what would matter to actual people. i feel we hear that in what barack obama says about what he is looking for. >> so sandra day o'connor who is now re

that's why the first bill that i signed as president was the lilly ledbetter fair pay act. this year on the anniversary of that day, the department of labor acted to begin collecting annual data on pay by gender, ethnicity and this will strengthen the enforcement of equal pay laws that are already on the books and help employers address pay gaps on their own. and to build on these efforts, congress needs to pass the paycheck fairness act to put sensible rules in place and make sure -- [applause] and make sure that employees who discuss their salaries don't face retaliation by their employers. but i'm not here just to say we should close the wage gap. i'm here to say we will close the wage gap. and if you don't believe me, then -- if you don't believe that we're going to close that wage gap, you need to come visit this house. because this house has a story to tell. this is the story of the national women's party whose members fought to have their voices heard. these women first organized in 1912 with little money but big hopes for equality for women all around the world. the

try to make equal pay for equal work a reality in this country and you alluded the fact pay e lilly ledbetter fair act for workes to take their cases to court and make sure they are being treated fairly. the president has created the national equal pay task force and the paycheck fairness act and skewed an executive order to -- and we have been working with the department of labor and e.e.o.c. to target. there are rules on the books that could be effectively used to ensure that people are being treated fairly and the president has made the case that this isn't just an issue for women that a lot of the women who are being discriminated against in the workplace and not getting the same amount of pay that their male colleagues are getting are women who are part f two-pay demrep check households. and they have kids they are trying to provide for. this isn't just a women's issue but a family issue. and it is why it is one of the reasons the president has been an add ent advocate of this the y and trying to expand policy and we need to make sure those families that rely on two pay commecks to pay t

i did an event this morning in philadelphia with a woman named lilly ledbetter. know that she worked as a supervisor in a factory in alabama for 40 years. she had a supervisor job. she was the only woman with the supervisor job. and she did not know for years that she made 40 percent less than the men do in the same job. and as she rightly said, she and her husband were working hard. and when she and i were talking she said, you know, when you go to the store you don't get a women's discount because you don't get paid the same. and now she is retired. her social security won't be the same because she was not paid the same. her 401(k) will not be the same. so this has a lot of implications for everybody, and it's time we said, look, in america, if you do the job you get the equal pay. men and women alike. and -- [cheers and applause] -- we have to do more to raise everybody's pay because nobody's getting a raise. [cheers and applause] >> and we've got to make sure that we go where the money is, when it comes to funding things like passenger rail. the money is at t