[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 22 (Friday, February 3, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H1164]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        MINIMUM WAGE RATE HIKE SEEN AS CRUCIAL TO WELFARE REFORM

  (Ms. DeLAURO asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I was proud to join President Clinton and 
my Democratic colleagues this morning in announcing our plan to raise 
the minimum wage from $4.25 an hour to $5.15 an hour. I am proud 
because I believe that raising the minimum wage is the right thing to 
do.
  Consider this: A family of three with a full-time minimum wage worker 
lives below the poverty level in America. By raising the minimum wage 
by 90 cents over the next 2 years, we can lift that family above the 
poverty line. People who are working full-time at honest jobs should be 
able to support their families.
  More importantly, raising the minimum wage is crucial to welfare 
reform. We cannot ask people to move from welfare to work unless we 
make work pay again.
  Mr. Speaker, it is time we value work again in this country. More 
importantly, it is time we value our workers. People who work hard and 
play by the rules deserve to make a living wage. Let us raise the 
minimum wage.


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