On June 5, 2012, a majority of the Senate (52-47) voted in support of the Paycheck Fairness Act (S. 3220). This amount fell short of the 60 votes needed to invoke cloture and allow the bill to proceed to consideration on its merits. The ACLU supported this legislation and a vote in favor of cloture.  The Paycheck Fairness Act would strengthen and update the Equal Pay Act of 1963 by requiring employers to demonstrate that wage differences among employees, who hold the same position and do the same work, stem from factors other than sex; prohibiting retaliation against workers who inquire about their wages; leveling the playing field by ensuring that women can obtain the same remedies as those subject to discrimination based on race or national origin; and reinstating the collection of important wage-related data. The bill also provides technical assistance to employers and important safeguards for small businesses. (Though Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada is listed as voting "no," he did so solely for procedural reasons to enable the legislation to be voted on again in this Congress. He has stated that he supports passage of this legislation.)