[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 22 (Friday, February 3, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H1165-H1166]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      ON RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE

  (Mr. OLVER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
[[Page H1166]] minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. OLVER. Mr. Speaker, it is time to raise the minimum wage. Today 
the minimum wage is $4.25 an hour. It has not been changed in 4 years.
  That means a person working full-time, 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a 
year, will earn less than $9,000, and has not seen a raise in 4 years 
of work.
  Families cannot live on that. No one can raise a child on that.
  There is a lot of talk about work, not welfare. But if a full-time, 
minimum-wage worker cannot even earn enough to reach the poverty line, 
work will not be a real alternative to welfare.
  Millions of Americans are working hard, trying desperately to make 
ends meet, but still falling farther behind. That is not fair.
  We must reward work, help families help themselves. The minimum wage 
must be raised to a livable wage.

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