Dear Senator Harry Reid,

As you know, the Paycheck Fairness Act was voted down back in June 2012 — a disappointing outcome for women hoping to gain fair and equal wages as men. The Paycheck Fairness Act would have required employers to prove discrepancies in salary between men and women legitimately have to do with business requirements and performance in the position. It would also protect defendants from retaliation from the companies they name.

"This afternoon, Senate Republicans refused to allow an up-or-down vote on the Paycheck Fairness Act, a commonsense piece of legislation that would strengthen the Equal Pay Act and give women more tools to fight pay discrimination," Obama said in a statement. "It is incredibly disappointing that in this make-or-break moment for the middle class, Senate Republicans put partisan politics ahead of American women and their families."

The President said it right: paying women fairly is simple common sense. In this day and age, where women go to space and hold high government positions, there is no reason they should be paid any less than their male counterparts.

Your vote against the act allows you to bring this bill forward once again, and I am asking that you do that immediately. We cannot allow women to continue to be held in the shadow of men.

Please bring back the Paycheck Fairness Act.

Thank you for your time.