Long Island, NY - August 25, 2017 - Today, Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) released the following statement to mark Women’s Equality Day, as we celebrate the 97th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, when the right of women to vote was first recognized.
“This Women’s Equality Day, Americans celebrate one of the giant steps forward in our democracy: the 97th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which enshrined women’s right to vote,” said Rep. Espaillat. “When women won the vote, we honored our most fundamental values and strengthened the fabric of our nation. At the same time, we must also note that millions of American women of color would have to wait decades beyond 1920, until the enactment of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, to have their right to vote truly recognized.
“Today we recognize the progress our nation has made and renew our commitment to finish the job. Many women still face barriers to fully participating in the American economy – due to the lack of policies such as access to affordable child care and paid family leave. Women on average still earn only 80 cents for every dollar earned by men. African-American and Hispanic women earn far less and are paid only 65 cents and 59 cents, respectively, when compared to white men.
“I proudly support the Democrats economic agenda, ‘A Better Deal: Better Jobs, Better Wages, Better Future,’ to ensure policies that will expand economic opportunities for women with key proposals such as paid family leave, equal pay for equal work, ensuring a living wage, expanding access to affordable child care, and strengthening support for women-owned businesses.
“On this Women’s Equality Day, let us work together to strengthen our economy by expanding economic opportunity and security for all women and their families today and in the future.”
First elected to Congress in 2016, Rep. Adriano Espaillat is serving his first term in Congress where he serves as a member of the influential U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, and the House Select Committee on Small Business. He is a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) and serves in a leadership role as CHC Freshman Representative to the Democratic Caucus. He is also chairman of the CHC Task Force for Transportation, Infrastructure and Housing. Rep. Espaillat’s Congressional District includes Harlem, East Harlem, northern Manhattan and the north-west Bronx. To find out more about Rep. Espaillat, visit online at https://espaillat.house.gov/.