Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 124.djvu/4641

 124 STAT. 4615 PROCLAMATION 8502—APR. 20, 2010 monies, activities, and acts of community service in memory of the vic- tims and survivors of terrorism worldwide. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the Inde- pendence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty- fourth. BARACK OBAMA Proclamation 8502 of April 20, 2010 National Equal Pay Day, 2010 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Throughout our Nation’s history, extraordinary women have broken barriers to achieve their dreams and blazed trails so their daughters would not face similar obstacles. Despite decades of progress, pay in- equity still hinders women and their families across our country. Na- tional Equal Pay Day symbolizes the day when an average American woman’s earnings finally match what an average American man earned in the past year. Today, we renew our commitment to end wage dis- crimination and celebrate the strength and vibrancy women add to our economy. Our Nation’s workforce includes more women than ever before. In households across the country, many women are the sole breadwinner, or share this role equally with their partner. However, wage discrimi- nation still exists. Nearly half of all working Americans are women, yet they earn only about 80 cents for every dollar men earn. This gap in- creases among minority women and those with disabilities. Pay inequity is not just an issue for women; American families, com- munities, and our entire economy suffer as a result of this disparity. We are still recovering from our economic crisis, and many hard- working Americans are still feeling its effects. Too many families are struggling to pay their bills or put food on the table, and this challenge should not be exacerbated by discrimination. I was proud that the first bill I signed into law, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act, helps women achieve wage fairness. This law brings us closer to end- ing pay disparities based on gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion, or disability by allowing more individuals to challenge inequality. To further highlight the challenges women face and to provide a co- ordinated Federal response, I established the White House Council on Women and Girls. My Administration also created a National Equal Pay Enforcement Task Force to bolster enforcement of pay discrimina- tion laws, making sure women get equal pay for an equal day’s work. And, because the importance of empowering women extends beyond our borders, my Administration created the first Office for Global Women’s Issues at the Department of State. We are all responsible for ensuring every American is treated equally. From reshaping attitudes to developing more comprehensive commu- nity-wide efforts, we are taking steps to eliminate the barriers women