Whereas, more than 60 years after Congress enacted the Equal Pay Act of 1963 (29 U.S.C. 206 note; Public Law 88–38), an analysis of 2023 data from the Bureau of the Census shows that disabled women workers overall are paid an average of 56 cents for every dollar paid to nondisabled men, and among full-time, year-round workers this figure is 68 cents;

Whereas an analysis of 2023 data from the Bureau of the Census shows that among full-time, year round workers—

(1)

for every dollar paid to White, non-Hispanic, nondisabled men—

(A)

disabled Asian American and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander women are paid 71 cents;

(B)

disabled White, non-Hispanic women are paid 64 cents;

(C)

disabled Black women are paid 60 cents;

(D)

disabled American Indian and Alaska Native women are paid 54 cents; and

(E)

disabled Latinas are paid 57 cents;

(2)

disabled women are paid an average of 81 cents for every dollar paid to disabled men;

(3)

disabled women overall, including part-time and part-year workers, are paid an average of 78 cents for every dollar paid to disabled men; and

(4)

while disabled people overall experience a wage gap, disabled women, particularly disabled women of color, experience a more significant wage gap;

Whereas, of the 6 types of disability assessed in the American Community Survey—

(1)

disabled women workers with each type of disability face a wage gap, as compared to nondisabled men; and

(2)

disabled women workers who have difficulty living independently have the largest wage gap, and are paid just 36 cents for every dollar paid to nondisabled men workers in 2022 among all workers;

Whereas disabled women veterans are paid an average of 62 cents for every dollar paid to nondisabled veteran men in 2022 among all workers;

Whereas the wage gap remains large for disabled women with more education, as disabled women workers with 4 years of college education working full-time, year-round in 2023 are typically paid $55,000 per year, which is less than nondisabled men workers with some college but no degree;

Whereas disabled women experience occupational segregation and are overrepresented in low-paid health care, clerical, and social service jobs;

Whereas, of disabled workers who live in institutional group quarters, disabled women workers are paid an average of just $9,000 per year and disabled men workers are paid $11,000 per year, while nondisabled men overall are typically paid an average of $50,000 per year in 2022 among all workers;

Whereas segregated workplaces and the subminimum wage for disabled employees stifle competitive, integrated employment for disabled women;

Whereas many systemic barriers affect access to livable wages and employment opportunities for disabled women, including—

(1)

discrimination;

(2)

public benefits work disincentives;

(3)

a broken health care infrastructure;

(4)

increased employment-related costs;

(5)

inadequate vocational rehabilitation services; and

(6)

a lack of access to supported employment services; and

Whereas LGBTQI+ disabled people face additional barriers to employment, and more inclusive data on LGBTQI+ disabled workers are needed to determine the added impact of these barriers on wages and workforce participation, particularly for trans and nonbinary disabled people who are often excluded from data: Now, therefore, be it