Statement of Administration Policy: S. 552 - Federal Compensation Equity ("Comparable Worth") Act

REVISION

(Senate)
(Evans (R) WA and 24 others)

The Administration strongly supports the principle of equal pay for equal work as embodied in current law. Moreover, the Administration supports full enforcement of the current law and rejects attempts to undermine that principle. S. 552's plan to determine the existence of discrimination in Federal pay practices, however, is not based on the clear standards under title 5, United States Code, the Equal Pay Act, or title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It, instead, uses flawed methodologies with undefined and biased criteria for a study of differentials in pay between dissimilar Federal Government positions held predominantly by female and male employees, or disproportionately by any ethnic group or race. The composition of the mandated study commission designated by the bill to judge the results of the study would predispose the results.

The Administration, accordingly, opposes enactment of S. 552. If S. 552 were to reach the President's desk, his senior advisers would recommend that it be vetoed.