[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 49 (Wednesday, April 17, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H3495-H3496]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 AMERICA NEEDS AN INCREASE IN MINIMUM WAGE TO SUSTAIN ITS HIGH QUALITY 
                           STANDARD OF LIVING

  (Mr. WYNN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WYNN. Mr. Speaker, we know what distinguishes America from Third 
World countries, not just its democratic processes but its standard of 
living, the high quality of life we have in this country. Well, at 
least that is the way it used to be when people could get good paying 
jobs in industry. That is not the case now.

[[Page H3496]]

  USA Today says, ``How would you like to raise a family on $8,800 a 
year?'' That is what we get with the current minimum wage. We ought to 
raise it. I am appalled when I hear my Republican colleagues who make 
over $100,000 a year say that they will fight a 90-cent increase in the 
minimum wage with every fiber in their body. It is absolutely shocking.
  We need to maintain a high minimum wage so that we can have the high 
standard of living in this country. The current minimum wage is $1,100 
less than the poverty level. People cannot exist on the current minimum 
wage.
  If we increase the minimum wage, 12 million Americans will benefit. 
And do not let the Republicans tell us they are just teenagers. Thirty-
nine percent of those Americans, 39 percent of those 12 million, are 
breadwinners, heads of households.
  Mr. Speaker, the equation is very simple. Decent minimum wages mean 
less welfare. The people who are getting welfare are there because many 
of them cannot get a decent wage even though they work.

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