Obama reaches out to women

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 (UPI) -- President Obama reached out to American women during his State of the Union address Tuesday, saying, "When women succeed, America succeeds."

The president said the fact women still make only 77 cents for every dollar a man earns "is wrong, and in 2014, it's an embarrassment."

"A woman deserves equal pay for equal work," he said. "She deserves to have a baby without sacrificing her job. A mother deserves a day off to care for a sick child or sick parent without running into hardship -- and you know what, a father does, too. "

He called on Congress, the White House and businesses to give women the opportunities they deserve.

"Because I firmly believe when women succeed, America succeeds," he said.