On January 9, 2009, the U.S. House of Representatives approved two bills that would remedy paycheck discrimination. One, the Paycheck Fairness Act, would eliminate gender-based pay disparities.
What is especially significant about this Act is that it would establish a grant program to fund training for women and girls in negotiation skills. Section Five of the Act provides:
An entity that receives a grant under this subsection shall use the funds made available through the grant to carry out an effective negotiation skills training program that empowers girls and women. The training provided through the program shall help girls and women strengthen their negotiation skills to allow the girls and women to obtain higher salaries and the best compensation packages possible for themselves.
Congress has at last recognized and aims to remedy a problem that women themselves have long been aware of: that social barriers prevent women from negotiating effectively.
(Hat tip to Concurring Opinions.)