Bill Clinton

“ Long before President Kennedy signed into law the Equal Pay Act of 1963, women had proved their ability to contribute to America's labor market. During World War II, when labor shortages offered women an unprecedented opportunity to work outside the home, women excelled at jobs traditionally reserved for men. ”

“ My Administration has worked hard to ensure that every American is treated with fairness and dignity in the workplace, and this year I proposed a $27 million equal pay initiative in my fiscal year 2001 budget to combat unfair pay practices against women. ”

“ African American women earn 64 cents for every dollar earned by white men, and Hispanic women earn just 55 cents. While some of these disparities can be attributed to differences in education, experience, and occupation—which themselves often reflect troubling inequities—several studies confirm that a significant pay gap persists even after we account for these factors. ”

“ For most of our Nation's history, in fact, women have served within a sharply segregated workforce, enjoying fewer educational and training opportunities than men and struggling all too often to disprove confining stereotypes about their roles and capabilities. ”

“ The initiative would also enable the EEOC to launch a public service campaign to educate employees and employers about their rights and responsibilities under equal pay laws. In addition, the initiative includes funding for the Department of Labor to train women for jobs they have not traditionally held, such as those in the high-paying technology sector, and to help employers recruit and train qualified women for nontraditional occupations. ”