PORTLAND, Maine (AP) Maine’s independent senator is joining a push to strengthen established equal pay laws.

Sen. Angus King says he is helping colleagues to reintroduce the Paycheck Fairness Act, which is designed to strengthen the Equal Pay Act of 1963.

King says the changes would close the gender wage gap and make sure women can challenge pay discrimination. He says the proposal is “about fairness” and establishing that “gender should not be a factor in setting a pay grade for the same job.”