Senators Warren, Anderson, Bieda, Smith and Hopgood offered the following resolution:

            Senate Resolution No. 30.

            A resolution to urge the Congress of the United States to enact legislation that ensures pay equity between men and women.

            Whereas, A half-century after the passage of the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, women continue to be subjected to gender-based pay differentials. While current law provides that equal pay be given to employees, irrespective of gender, for substantially equal work, employers have been allowed to pay different wages for men and women based on "any factor other than sex." This loophole has permitted employers to justify higher salaries and benefits for men on grounds unrelated to job functions; and

            Whereas, Little change or progress has been made in gender pay equity. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, women working full-time received only 77 percent of the pay men did in 2010. In Michigan, women earned $34,542 in that year, 72 percent of men's $48,066. This ranked Michigan 46th nationally in gender pay differential. Over the lifetime of a career, the average American woman and her family will be negatively impacted from wage discrimination by $700,000 to $2 million, affecting Social Security, bonuses, pensions, and other benefits; and

            Whereas, The proposed Paycheck Fairness Act of 2013 would address the shortcomings of the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. The legislation would close the pay differentials loophole in the current law by requiring that when pay differentials exist, it be for a "bona fide factor," such as education, training, or experience directly related to the position in question and out of business necessity. It also strengthens the nonretaliation provision of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to protect women who inquire about, disclose, or discuss their own wages or the wages of another employee; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the Senate, That we urge the Congress of the United States to enact legislation that ensures pay equity between men and women; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.