SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) talks to reporters after the Senate voted against the formation of an independent commission to investigate the attack at the U.S. Capitol on May 28, 2021 in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Schumer Blasts McConnell for Treating Equal Pay for Women as 'Radical'
"This is a fundamental issue of fairness," said the Democratic Senate Majority Leader.
Jun 08, 2021
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Tuesday blasted the Republican leadership for its "radical" opposition to legislation to close the gender pay gap and strengthen workplace protections for women.
"This is a fundamental issue of fairness. And we have very simple, commonsense legislative proposal to address the issue," Schumer (D-N.Y.) said on the Senate floor Tuesday referencing the Paycheck Fairness Act.
The legislation, H.R. 7, passed the House in April. The Senate is set to hold a procedural vote on the measure Tuesday.
In his remarks, the New York Democrat seized upon comments Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) made in the chamber Monday.
McConnell criticized Democrats' agenda for the next several weeks, which includes the paycheck fairness legislation, as being "transparently designed to fail" and centered on "the demands of their radical base."
The Paycheck Fairness Act, McConnell suggested, is merely a ruse "to send a windfall to trial attorneys" and impose "crippling new legal burdens" on employers and businesses.
Schumer shot back, saying that "the only way that a bill to provide equal pay for women is 'designed to fail' is if Senate Republicans design to block it."
"And if the Republican leader wants to talk about 'radical' positions, I'd say that opposing legislation to provide equal pay for women--supported by a solid majority of voters--is a radical position," Schumer continued.
Further proof of the GOP's "radical" positions is the party's opposition to background checks to prevent felons and the mentally ill from getting a guns and its torpedoing of a bipartisan commission to investigate the January 6 Capitol attack.
What's "truly radical and dangerous," added Schumer, is Republicans "passing laws that specifically make it harder for younger, poorer and non-white Americans to vote."
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Tuesday blasted the Republican leadership for its "radical" opposition to legislation to close the gender pay gap and strengthen workplace protections for women.
"This is a fundamental issue of fairness. And we have very simple, commonsense legislative proposal to address the issue," Schumer (D-N.Y.) said on the Senate floor Tuesday referencing the Paycheck Fairness Act.
The legislation, H.R. 7, passed the House in April. The Senate is set to hold a procedural vote on the measure Tuesday.
In his remarks, the New York Democrat seized upon comments Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) made in the chamber Monday.
McConnell criticized Democrats' agenda for the next several weeks, which includes the paycheck fairness legislation, as being "transparently designed to fail" and centered on "the demands of their radical base."
The Paycheck Fairness Act, McConnell suggested, is merely a ruse "to send a windfall to trial attorneys" and impose "crippling new legal burdens" on employers and businesses.
Schumer shot back, saying that "the only way that a bill to provide equal pay for women is 'designed to fail' is if Senate Republicans design to block it."
"And if the Republican leader wants to talk about 'radical' positions, I'd say that opposing legislation to provide equal pay for women--supported by a solid majority of voters--is a radical position," Schumer continued.
Further proof of the GOP's "radical" positions is the party's opposition to background checks to prevent felons and the mentally ill from getting a guns and its torpedoing of a bipartisan commission to investigate the January 6 Capitol attack.
What's "truly radical and dangerous," added Schumer, is Republicans "passing laws that specifically make it harder for younger, poorer and non-white Americans to vote."
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Tuesday blasted the Republican leadership for its "radical" opposition to legislation to close the gender pay gap and strengthen workplace protections for women.
"This is a fundamental issue of fairness. And we have very simple, commonsense legislative proposal to address the issue," Schumer (D-N.Y.) said on the Senate floor Tuesday referencing the Paycheck Fairness Act.
The legislation, H.R. 7, passed the House in April. The Senate is set to hold a procedural vote on the measure Tuesday.
In his remarks, the New York Democrat seized upon comments Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) made in the chamber Monday.
McConnell criticized Democrats' agenda for the next several weeks, which includes the paycheck fairness legislation, as being "transparently designed to fail" and centered on "the demands of their radical base."
The Paycheck Fairness Act, McConnell suggested, is merely a ruse "to send a windfall to trial attorneys" and impose "crippling new legal burdens" on employers and businesses.
Schumer shot back, saying that "the only way that a bill to provide equal pay for women is 'designed to fail' is if Senate Republicans design to block it."
"And if the Republican leader wants to talk about 'radical' positions, I'd say that opposing legislation to provide equal pay for women--supported by a solid majority of voters--is a radical position," Schumer continued.
Further proof of the GOP's "radical" positions is the party's opposition to background checks to prevent felons and the mentally ill from getting a guns and its torpedoing of a bipartisan commission to investigate the January 6 Capitol attack.
What's "truly radical and dangerous," added Schumer, is Republicans "passing laws that specifically make it harder for younger, poorer and non-white Americans to vote."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.
To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good.
News & Opinion
Trending
Common Dreams, Inc. Founded 1997. Registered 501(c3) Non-Profit
Privacy Policy