Remember last summer, when Senate Republicans shot down the Paycheck Fairness Act, which was supposed to increase protections for women filing employment discrimination suits? Well, Barbara Mikulski (D-Maryland) just reintroduced it last week, and now this week, Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) has just gone and proposed a Fair Pay Act as well.

There are a lot of statistics demonstrating women's continued pay inequity (still just making 77 cents on that manly dollar). The landmark Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act was passed in 2009, and we have an Equal Pay Act from 1963, right? If you're like me, perhaps you are thinking, "Yay! But what are these new bills, exactly? And why can't we come up with more distinct names?" (I'd go with the Fucking Pay Me, Bro, or I'll Period Everywhere Act, but whatevs.)

Therefore I am thankful that Katie J. M. Baker over at Jezebel has helpfully broken down what these bills are and how they might strengthen current fair-pay laws.

Take it away, Baker:

The Paycheck Fairness Act deals with overt cases of discrimination, where, for example, two attorneys who are equal in education, productivity, seniority, etc. are paid differently based on gender... The Fair Pay Act deals with the systematic devaluing of "women's work," like nursing, teaching, administrative work, etc., by requiring companies to disclose their pay scales for each job category, and requiring employers to provide equal pay for jobs that are comparable in skill, effort, responsibility, and working conditions...

Read the rest of Baker's breakdown.

Video after the jump.