[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 45 (Thursday, March 28, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E487]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               GROWING SUPPORT FOR MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE

                                 ______


                        HON. FORTNEY PETE STARK

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 27, 1996

  Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, the last minimum wage adjustment made in 1989 
has been completely eroded by inflation. However, we can learn from the 
experience of that last increase to help assuage the fears that another 
increase will be detrimental to employment opportunities.
  According to analysis by Richard B. Freeman, the preeminent labor 
economist from Harvard University, studies done on the 1989 minimum 
wage increase show ``that moderate increases in the minimum (wage) 
transferred income to the lower paid without any apparent adverse 
effect on employement. * * *''
  Translation: the 1989 minimum wage increase did not cost jobs; it did 
boost the incomes of affected workers.
  Mr. Speaker, the 1989 increase was overwhelmingly supported on a 
bipartisan basis in both the House and the Senate before being signed 
into law by President Bush. It is time for this Congress to address the 
wage erosion for low-wage workers with a meaningful minimum wage 
increase. It is time that the people's House began addressing the real 
concerns of people.

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