Washington, DC— U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) today released the following statements regarding the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in the gender discrimination suit against Wal-Mart.  The senators called the current gender wage gap “unacceptable” and vowed to continue to fight to ensure that women receive equal pay for equal work.

Senator Murray:

“Women across America continue to earn less than men who do the same job, and today’s Supreme Court ruling is going to make that sad reality even harder to change.  We passed the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to start closing the pay gap, and we need to keep working to make sure that women have the tools they need to tackle pay discrimination in the workplace.”

Senator Mikulski:

“I’m disappointed in today’s Supreme Court ruling, which placed another hurdle at the courthouse door for women seeking compensation for wage discrimination. Women make this country run, but we still earn just 77 cents for every dollar our male counterpart makes. That’s why I led the fight on the Senate floor for the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and am fighting to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would ensure equal pay for equal work. The pay gap is unacceptable. People should be judged solely by their individual skills, competence unique talents and nothing else in the workplace. And we must keep the courthouse door open to allow women to sue for pay discrimination – not make it more difficult for them to get the money they deserve.”