Lowell posted the details for this event right here, but hopefully he won't mind if I post it to the front page. This is a great opportunity to network with fellow Northern Virginia Democrats, watch the primary returns roll in and support a great candidate for Congress.
It's nice to see the Byrne campaign dedicating itself to grassroots and small-donor outreach like this.
Please join Scott Surrovell, Chap Petersen, Ben Tribbett, Greg Galligan, Brian Murray & Jill Allen Murray, Brian Devine, Brian Coy and a host of other young professional Democrats for theByrne Brigade Kick-Off and PA Primary Watch Party
with a cocktail reception in support of The Honorable Leslie Byrne, Democratic Candidate for U.S. Congress, VA-11
The event will be held on Tuesday, April 22, 2008 from 7 PM - 10 PM at:
PJ Skidoos
9908 Lee Highway
Fairfax, VA 22030Suggested Donation Levels:
Byrne Brigade Host Committee: $250 (write or raise)
Supporter: $100
Minimum Contribution: $25To RSVP please call Steve Hurvitz at 703-537-0470 or email shurvitz@lesliebyrne.org
*Please make checks payable to Byrne for Congress and mail to P.O. Box 2612, Falls Church, VA 22042 or contribute online at www.lesliebyrne.org
Contributions to Byrne for Congress are not tax-deductible for Federal income tax purposes, and are limited to $2,300 per individual ($4,600 per couple) per election. Federal multi-candidate PACs may contribute $5,000 per election. Contributions from corporations, national banks, federal contractors, and foreign nationals who are not admitted for permanent residence in the United States are prohibited. All contributions must be made from personal funds and may not be reimbursed or paid by any other person. Federal law requires us to use our best efforts to collect and report the name, mailing address, occupation, and name of employer for individuals whose contributions exceed $200 in an election cycle.
Byrne Addresses Income DisparityStatement of Democratic Candidate for Congress Leslie Byrne on National Equal Pay Day
"Today, I join working women and their families throughout Virginia to commemorate Equal Pay Day, an annual reminder of the inequity women face in the workplace. With the economy in crisis, gasoline prices at an all time high, college tuition rates escalating, and millions of dollars being spent on the Iraq war every day, no one can afford to earn less than they deserve in this country. Equal Pay Day is held on April 22nd to mark the date at which the wages paid to women in the United States to catch up with the wages paid to men in the previous year.
"Common sense demands that women in the workplace are fully and fairly compensated. Women have overcome many obstacles in the forty-five years since the Equal Pay Act was passed but on average still only earn 77 cents to the dollar a man makes in the same or comparable work. This difference is even greater for single women and women of color. In Congress, I will work to ensure that all employees - especially women - have equal access and fair treatment in the workplace.
"I applaud today's efforts by Senators Mikulski, Klobuchar, McCaskill, and Murray as they renew the call to pass the Fair Pay Restoration Act, which will further ensure equal pay for women and minorities in the workforce. As your next member of Congress, I will work to push legislation such as this out of House committee and into law to help alleviate the every day burdens of working families."
The Reality of Unequal Pay in America:
· Women's average pay is 77% of men's wages, 72% for African American women, 59% for Latina women.
· Unequal pay depresses wages and living standards for employees, which can impact employee health and efficiency.
· Women, particularly mothers, who do the vital but unpaid job of caring for children and/or other dependents, are often penalized by getting the lowest pay when entering or returning to the workforce and are discriminated against in such areas as pensions, health care, and social security credits, among others.
· Consciously underpaying women can provide a massive subsidy to employers that is both sexist and racist.