Domenici says fair wage vote 'political'

ALBUQUERQUE -- Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., says he voted against taking up a fair pay bill in Congress because he believes the measure was "solely brought up by the Senate Democratic leadership for political purposes."

Last week, in criticizing the Senate for its failure to address the issue, Lt. Gov. Diane Denish specifically criticized Domenici.

Domenici countered with a statement to NMI through a spokeswoman, saying, "The Senator believes in fair wages for all workers, and has been involved in past legislative efforts to this effect, both nationally and in New Mexico. He is interested in the Senate having a valid debate on the issue."

In voting against taking up the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, Domenici and other Republicans killed the opportunity for debate with 42 votes to supporters' 56. Only four more supporters -- for a total of 60 -- were needed to take the measure to full debate.

The bill would have given workers more leeway in bringing suit for pay discrimination by modifying the Supreme Court's 5-4 decision last year . The decision held that workers must sue 180 days after their first discriminatory paycheck, even if they're not aware they've been discriminated against until after the 180 days have passed. 

Domenici's statement about "political purposes" echoes Associated Press reports that Republicans justified their voting against the measure as a response to Democrats' delay of the vote so that Hillary Clinton and Barak Obama could make a rare Senate visit during presidential campaigning to speak in the bill's favor, indicating the issue's importance in the minds of voters. Democrats countered that Republicans had no intention of allowing a hearing on the bill.

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