In a 225-199 vote, Congress passed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2007, in effect reversing the Supreme Court's decision in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., which tightened the statute of limitations employees have to sue employers for pay discrimination.

H.R. 2831, passed July 31, begins the statute of limitations anew “each time compensation is paid pursuant to the discriminatory compensation decision or other practice.” It amends Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. George Miller and cosponsored by 93 other House Democrats, passed mainly with Democratic support–223 of 225 votes in favor of passage were Democratic.

In a statement, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi urged President Bush to approve the act. “The Ledbetter Fair Pay Act restores the ability of women and all workers who are protected by anti-discrimination and civil rights laws access to our judicial system to vindicate their rights when they have been harmed by a discrimination,” she said. “Equal pay for equal work is a fundamental value. The president should join the House on the side of all American workers in standing for pay equity and against discrimination.”

The White House has expressed its intention to veto the bill. In a statement from the White House released before passage of the bill, the administration said it “strongly opposes” H.R. 2831.

“This legislation does not appear to be based on evidence that the current statute of limitations principles have caused any systemic prejudice to the interests of employees,” the statement read, “but it is reasonable to expect the bill's vastly expanded statute of limitations would exacerbate the existing heavy burden on the courts by encouraging the filing of stale claims.”

In a 225-199 vote, Congress passed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2007, in effect reversing the Supreme Court's decision in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., which tightened the statute of limitations employees have to sue employers for pay discrimination.

H.R. 2831, passed July 31, begins the statute of limitations anew “each time compensation is paid pursuant to the discriminatory compensation decision or other practice.” It amends Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. George Miller and cosponsored by 93 other House Democrats, passed mainly with Democratic support–223 of 225 votes in favor of passage were Democratic.

In a statement, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi urged President Bush to approve the act. “The Ledbetter Fair Pay Act restores the ability of women and all workers who are protected by anti-discrimination and civil rights laws access to our judicial system to vindicate their rights when they have been harmed by a discrimination,” she said. “Equal pay for equal work is a fundamental value. The president should join the House on the side of all American workers in standing for pay equity and against discrimination.”

The White House has expressed its intention to veto the bill. In a statement from the White House released before passage of the bill, the administration said it “strongly opposes” H.R. 2831.

“This legislation does not appear to be based on evidence that the current statute of limitations principles have caused any systemic prejudice to the interests of employees,” the statement read, “but it is reasonable to expect the bill's vastly expanded statute of limitations would exacerbate the existing heavy burden on the courts by encouraging the filing of stale claims.”