[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 29 (Tuesday, February 14, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H1695]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


               IN SUPPORT OF INCREASING THE MINIMUM WAGE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 4, 1995, the gentlewoman from Florida [Ms. Brown] is recognized 
during morning business for 3 minutes.
  Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of an 
increase in the minimum wage--it is long overdue. If we really want to 
reward hard working families, this is the way to start.
  Today, I have the honor of welcoming to Washington, my constituent, 
Annie Busby, who traveled all the way from Apopka, FL because she 
believes in raising the minimum wage. She was once a driver for Wells 
Fargo but lost that job when she was injured. Annie Busby supports 
three children and has held a number of temporary jobs. Raising the 
minimum wage will make a difference to Annie and her family.
  Rev. Jesse Jackson says most Americans are working hard and working 
every day, but they are not making enough for that work to support 
their families.
  A 90 cent increase in the minimum wage will help raise the standard 
of living for a family of four. The extension of earned income tax 
credit helped lift hundreds of thousands of working families. Yet, by 
1996, even the EITC is not enough to lift a family of four above the 
poverty line if they are making the current minimum wage. A 90-cent 
minimum wage increase can make a real difference to a struggling 
family.
  More than 70 percent of Americans want to see the minimum wage 
raised. Let us listen to working America and do the right thing.

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