JOHN MCCAIN: "We haven’t done enough. We have not done enough. And I’m committed to making sure that there’s equal pay for equal work. That there is equal opportunity in every aspect of our society. And that is my record and you can count on it."
(Town Hall Meeting; Hudson, WI 07/11/08)
LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6gbv0dO1G0
Equal Pay
McCain Missed Vote To Provide Equal Pay To Women. On April 23, McCain skipped a vote to invoke cloture on the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which would "amend the 1964 Civil Rights Act to allow employees to file charges of pay discrimination within 180 days of the last received paycheck affected by the alleged discriminatory decision." [HR 2831, Vote #110, 4/23/08]
· McCain Said He Opposed Equal Pay Bill. The Associated Press ran the following headline: "McCain opposes equal pay bill backed by rivals." The AP reported, "Republican Sen. John McCain, campaigning through poverty-stricken cities and towns, said Wednesday he opposes a Senate bill that seeks equal pay for women because it would lead to more lawsuits." [Associated Press, 4/24/08]
McCain Said He Didn’t Believe Equal Pay Bill Would "Do Anything To Help The Rights Of Women." During a McCain campaign event, McCain was asked by a 14 year old girl about his opposition to equal pay laws. McCain said, "I don’t believe that this would do anything to help the rights of women, except maybe help trial lawyers and others in that profession." [Washington Post, The Trail Blog, 5/7/08]
McCain Acknowledged Pay Disparity, Said It Was Due To "Education and Training" Differences. According to the Associated Press, McCain stated his opposition to the bill as he campaigned in rural eastern Kentucky, where poverty is worse among women than men. The Arizona senator said he was familiar with the disparity but that there are better ways to help women find better paying jobs. ‘They need the education and training, particularly since more and more women are heads of their households, as much or more than anybody else,’ McCain said. ‘And it’s hard for them to leave their families when they don’t have somebody to take care of them.’" [Associated Press, 4/23/08]
McCain Voted Against Providing More Effective Remedies For Victims Of Wage Discrimination. In 2000, McCain voted to impose a Budget Act point of order tabling a Harkin amendment to "provide more effective remedies to victims of discrimination in the payment of wages on the basis of sex." [S.Amdt. 3847 to H.R. 4810, Vote #203, 7/17/00]
McCain Voted Against Federal Equal Pay Study. In 1985, John McCain voted against passage of the bill to establish a commission to oversee a study of the federal workforce to determine whether differences in pay and classification have arisen because of discrimination on the basis of sex, race or national origin." [1985 CQ Almanac; HR 3008, vote # 318, 10/9/85]
McCain Voted Against Rule For Federal Equal Pay Study. In 1985, John McCain voted against the rule to allow "House floor consideration of the bill to authorize an independent study to determine if pay differences in the federal government are due to discrimination on the basis of sex, race or Hispanic origin." [1985 CQ Almanac; HR 3008, vote # 263, 8/1/85]
McCain told 14 year old girl that Equal Rights/Equal Pay wouldn’t "do anything to help the rights of women"
VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NB7aHj8aKV0
JOHN MCCAIN: Now, ma’am, I don’t know who printed your shirt but here’s the microphone and you can explain, have the view that you have and I’d be glad to respond to a question.
QUESTIONER: Thank you. I was wondering, Senator McCain, why, um, when you had the opportunity to vote to give equal rights to women, equal pay, I was wondering why you didn’t show up to vote and you said that if you did, you wouldn’t support it?
JOHN MCCAIN: I think you’re referring to a vote recently that would’ve allowed, which would’ve eliminated the statute of limitations on lawsuits of, for charges or allegations of discrimination. Uh, I think that if you eliminate the statute of limitations and make it, uh, unending then you may be violating the rights of the individual who’s being sued as well, whether they be a man or a woman. So, I believe that the Supreme Court’s decision was correct, that there is a statute of limitations as, as to when charges or allegations or legal means are taken, uh, and I believe that it was a correct decision of the United States Supreme Court and I don’t believe that this would do anything to help the rights of women except maybe help trial lawyers and others in that profession. And that’s my view. [applause]. If you’d like to follow up, I’d be glad to hear your response to that. If you’d—obviously we disagree but if you’d—would you—wou–would you like to make another comment?
QUESTIONER: I have someone here who I think would like to—who I think would be very more much articulate than me with answering th—
QUESTIONER 2: [to scattered booing] That’s ok, she’s fourteen years old, ok?
(Town Hall Meeting; Rochester, MI 05/07/08)
