text: "Senate Republicans Filibuster Fair Pay For WomenMatt FinkelsteinThe first bill President Obama signed after taking office was the LillyLedbetter Fair Pay Act which made it easier for women to seek justice forpay discrimination. At the time Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) Kay BaileyHutchison (R-TX) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) joined with Democrats toovercome strong Republican opposition to the bill.But today all three Republican senators voted against a motion toproceed on the Paycheck Fairness Act a bill that ""would furtherstrengthen current laws against gender-based wage discrimination."" Themotion was defeated by a vote of 58-41 falling two votes short of the 60needed for the bill to be considered on the Senate floor.This is not the first time the Paycheck Fairness Act has stalled in theSenate. In 2008 the upper chamber failed to vote on the bill after it wasapproved by the House which passed the legislation again in 2009 withthe support of 10 Republicans.Women earn barely three-quarters of what their male counterparts makefor the same work but conservatives have invented a number ofludicrous reasons for opposing equal pay legislation. For example theHeritage Foundation has suggested that equal pay laws actually hurtwomen because businesses simply won't hire them if they are required topay them fair wages. And Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) has claimed thatwomen would receive better compensation if they just had more""education and training."""