45 years later, the gender pay gap persists.

From today's Parade magazine . . . 

First, the bad news: The Equal Pay Act was approved in 1963, yet women still earn only about 78 cents on each dollar a male colleague makes.

Now, the better news: Congress is renewing its efforts to close the salary gap. Two bills are expected to be proposed soon － the Paycheck Fairness Act, which will force employers to justify pay differences and will enhance penalties for discrimination, and the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which will override Ledbetter v. Goodyear, the Supreme Court ruling that says that women suing for equal pay must do so within 180 days of the beginning of the discrimination.

And here's a point I'm embarrassed to confess I've never pondered: The consequences of the wage gap continue long after a woman's actual work life ceases; if she's paid less, her Social Security payments and pension are lower, too.

And the hits just keep on coming . . .