“It is a shameful reality that Native Women continue to face one of the widest pay disparities of any group, with Native women working full-time, year-round and seasonally paid just 58 cents for every dollar paid to their White male counterparts. Nearly two-thirds of Native moms (64%) are breadwinners for their families, and they are paid just 41 cents for every dollar paid to White men. Those wage gaps are a disgrace and should be a call to lawmakers at every level to take action to finally make wages fair.

“On average, Native women with professional degrees lose nearly $3 million to the wage gap over a 40-year career. And wage gaps widen when we disaggregate them into the hundreds of Native tribes. When Native women lose so much of their pay to discrimination, their families and communities suffer because they are robbed of the resources that would allow them to be economically secure and give the next generation opportunities to thrive.

“This is also National Native American Heritage Month, when we remember and honor Native American women who were, and are, leaders, providers, and protectors, despite many being displaced and facing genocide, sexual violence, other forms of abuse, and exclusion from the land and labor rights everyone deserves. To truly honor their legacies, we must all commit to fighting for justice and equality for Native communities. America’s moms urge Republicans in Congress to stop playing politics with our health care and food assistance, and instead act immediately to lessen the financial burden of unequal wages that leave too many Native women and their families struggling to make ends meet. It’s past time to close the wage gap and pave the way for a more equitable future where wages are fair for all of us.”