Barbara Mikulski calls for 'new American revolution'

In this video posted at Think Progress, Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) delivered a passionate appeal to women in the wake of the defeat of the Paycheck Fairness Act Tuesday.

The bill was defeated 52-47, falling eight votes short of passing, with every Republican senator voting against it. It would have protected employees asking about pay disparities from retaliation by their employers, and allowed employees to pursue legal action if they found evidence of gender-based pay differences.

Mikulski, the bill's primary sponsor, had spoken out against the relatively slow increase in women's salaries over the past few decades: an average of 18 cents in 49 years. And after the deciding vote, she called upon women not to let the defeat hold them back.

"I say to the women out there in America, let’s keep this fight going," Mikulski said. "Put on your lipstick, square your shoulders, suit up, and let’s fight for a new American revolution where women are paid equal pay for equal work, and let’s end wage discrimination in this century once and for all"

The video, courtesy of Think Progress, is below.

Image via NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center/Bill Hrybyk