[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 26 (Thursday, February 9, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H1470]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            LIVABLE WAGE ACT

  (Mr. CLYBURN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, there has been much talk about reforming 
welfare; about getting people off the Government dole and on to the 
payrolls.
  Well, Mr. Speaker, if we expect people to work, these jobs should at 
least provide a livable wage.
  While it is true that the economy is growing, the deficit is falling 
and unemployment is declining, many American are still finding it 
difficult to make ends meet.
  The current minimum wage is $4.25 an hour, or $8,500 a year. You 
tell, me, Mr. Speaker, how can one person live off such an income, much 
less a family?
  The President has introduced a proposal to raise the minimum wage to 
$5.15 an hour. I would take that one step further.
  I have introduced a bill, H.R. 768, the Livable Wage Act, which would 
raise the minimum wage to $5.30 an hour by the year 2000.
  Mr. Speaker, if we truly want welfare reform let us put the Livable 
Wage Act into law.


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