Magnificently Overqualified Mothers Respond to Senator McCain’s Comment on Ledbetter Fair Pay Act with Resume Delivery

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MEDIA ALERT
June 12, 2008

CONTACT: Gretchen Wright, 202/371-1999

Magnificently Overqualified Mothers Respond to Senator McCain’s Comment on Ledbetter Fair Pay Act with Resume Delivery

Local Moms to Deliver Thousands of Women’s Resumes to Senator’s Office Thursday

In late April, the U.S. Senate voted on the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, legislation that would loosen the restrictions on the length of time in which workers could file pay discrimination claims against their employers. On the campaign trail at the time, Senator John McCain refused to return to Washington, DC to vote on the measure (unlike two other U.S. Senators who were also campaigning for President), commenting instead that he opposed the Fair Pay Act and that what women really needed was “more training and education.” Ultimately, a filibuster in the Senate prevented the bill from coming to a vote.

To educate Senator McCain about the large number of extremely qualified and capable women who deserve not only pay equity, but the ability to file claims if their employers discriminate against them in pay or promotions, several Washington DC-area moms wearing “Magnificently Overqualified Mother” sashes will deliver their resumes and the resumes of thousands of other MomsRising.org members to the Senator’s office. The “Magnificently Overqualified Mothers” and some of their kids will meet to visit the Senator at:

11:30 AM, June 17
Russell Senate Office Building
Delaware and Constitution Avenues
Washington, DC

MomsRising.org encouraged its members to send a message to Senator McCain by sending in their resumes. More than 20,000 members obliged with skills and educational backgrounds ranging from Harvard MBAs to doctorates in neuropsychology.

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MomsRising.org is an online grassroots organization that is working for paid family leave, flexible work options, excellent childcare and healthcare for all children, and to stop the wage and hiring biases that penalize so many mothers today. MomsRising.org, has more than 140,000 members across the United States and more than 5,000 in Washington, DC.