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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Obama signs executive orders targeting gender wage gap | Obama signs executive orders targeting gender wage gap |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| US President Barack Obama has issued two executive orders aimed at erasing gender disparities in pay among the government workforce. | US President Barack Obama has issued two executive orders aimed at erasing gender disparities in pay among the government workforce. |
| One directive signed on Tuesday bars federal contactors from retaliating against employees for discussing pay. | One directive signed on Tuesday bars federal contactors from retaliating against employees for discussing pay. |
| The other requires such contractors to provide compensation data by race and gender to the Department of Labor. | The other requires such contractors to provide compensation data by race and gender to the Department of Labor. |
| The Democrat also rebuked Republicans for blocking equal pay legislation, as both sides vie for female voters. | The Democrat also rebuked Republicans for blocking equal pay legislation, as both sides vie for female voters. |
| Even playing field | Even playing field |
| "Pay secrecy fosters discrimination, and we should not tolerate it, not in federal contracting or anywhere else," Mr Obama, citing Census Bureau data indicating that on average, women earn 77% on the dollar for what men earn. | |
| The executive actions over federal contractors will reportedly affect nearly one-quarter of the US workforce. | |
| A similar bill forbidding companies from punishing employees who share salary information has been introduced in the US Senate, but Republicans are expected the block it. | A similar bill forbidding companies from punishing employees who share salary information has been introduced in the US Senate, but Republicans are expected the block it. |
| Conservatives have rejected similar legislation in the upper chamber of Congress in 2010 and 2012. | Conservatives have rejected similar legislation in the upper chamber of Congress in 2010 and 2012. |
| "This is about Republicans seemingly opposing any efforts to even the playing field for working families," Mr Obama said as he signed the executive orders on Tuesday. | "This is about Republicans seemingly opposing any efforts to even the playing field for working families," Mr Obama said as he signed the executive orders on Tuesday. |
| Republicans however have argued that such moves would hurt women by restricting merit pay and job flexibility. | Republicans however have argued that such moves would hurt women by restricting merit pay and job flexibility. |
| "We all know workplace discrimination still exists, [but] we need real solutions that focus on job creation and opportunity for women. Not more regulations that cut flexibility and cut bonuses," the Republican National Committee wrote in a statement. | "We all know workplace discrimination still exists, [but] we need real solutions that focus on job creation and opportunity for women. Not more regulations that cut flexibility and cut bonuses," the Republican National Committee wrote in a statement. |
| Both political parties have fought to attract women voters as they approach the mid-term elections in November. | Both political parties have fought to attract women voters as they approach the mid-term elections in November. |
| Those elections will determine which party controls the US Senate and House of Representatives for the final two years of Mr Obama's presidential term. | Those elections will determine which party controls the US Senate and House of Representatives for the final two years of Mr Obama's presidential term. |