[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 55 (Thursday, April 25, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H4043-H4044]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                        VOTE ON THE MINIMUM WAGE

  The Speaker pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from North Carolina [Mrs. Clayton] is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mrs. CLAYTON. Mr. Speaker, a vote on the minimum wage should no 
longer be blocked by the majority leadership. This last vote to prevent 
a vote on the minimum wage by this body is out of step with the 
American people. The American people want a vote--at least 8 out of 10 
of them.
  Democrats want a vote--some 119 are cosponsors of the minimum wage 
bill.
  At least 23 Republican House members want a vote.
  A vote on the minimum wage increase is unavoidable.
  The majority leader continues to resist a vote, showing a lack a 
compassion and understanding for the plight of poor, working families.
  Let's have a vote now.
  Some 13 million American workers deserve an increase in the minimum 
wage because it is the fair thing to do--it is the right thing to do.
  Minimum wage workers now earn about 50 cents less than they earned 40 
years ago if the value of what they earned then is compared to the 
value of what they earn now.
  It is discouraging, Mr. Speaker, for a citizen to work, full-time, 
and see their earnings go down, while corporate profits and executive 
salaries continue to go up.
  It is even more disheartening when some in Congress are pushing for a 
tax break for these same wealthy executives, while pushing for a tax 
increase on America's workers.
  Eliminating the earned income tax credit, which primarily benefits 
the working poor, while refusing to raise the minimum wage, is unfair 
and unjust.
  The 117,000 minimum wage workers in North Carolina, and the millions 
of others throughout the United States, deserve better.
  Middle- and moderate-income Americans now feel the squeeze between 
profits and wages as much as the low income and the unemployed.
  Almost half of the money in America is in the hands of just 20 
percent of the people. That top 20 percent is made up of families with 
the highest incomes. The bottom 20 percent has less than 5 percent of 
the money in their hands. A modest increase in the minimum wage could 
help the bottom 20 percent, and, it will not hurt the top 20 percent.
  The President has proposed such a modest increase in the minimum 
wage--an increase of 90 cents, over 2 years. Such an increase would 
mean an additional $1,800 a year for the working poor.
  That amount of money makes a big difference in the ability of 
families to buy food and shelter, to pay for energy to heat their 
homes, and to be able to clothe, care for, and educate their children.
  That amount of money makes the difference between families with 
abundance and families in poverty. An increase in the minimum wage 
won't provide abundance, but it can raise working families out of 
poverty.
  While the cost of bread, milk, eggs, a place to sleep, heat, clothing 
to wear, a bus ride, and a visit to the doctor has been going up, the 
income of low-, moderate-, and middle-income people has been going 
down.
  Without an increase in the minimum wage, those with little money end 
up with less money. That is because the cost of living continues to 
rise.
  Let's bring minimum wages into the modern age. Let's support H.R. 
940, a bill that will help create a livable wage for millions of 
workers by permitting a modest increase in the minimum wage.
  This Congress should pass the minimum wage increase.
  It is the right thing to do. It is the fair thing to do.
  Mr. RIGGS. Mr. Speaker, will the gentlewoman yield?
  Mrs. CLAYTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California.
  Mr. RIGGS. Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to point out that I am one of 
those Republicans who strongly supports the increase in the minimum 
wage, believes that it ought to be coupled with welfare reform. I know 
the gentlewoman has been very outspoken in regards to her feelings 
regarding welfare reform, but I would certainly hope that we could 
pursue this issue on a bipartisan basis with the ultimate goal of 
making work more attractive than welfare.
  Mrs. CLAYTON. Mr. Speaker, I agree with the gentleman.
  Mr. RIGGS. The principal reason that I support the increase in the 
minimum wage is so an entry-level minimum-wage job will ultimately pay 
more than welfare benefits do currently in the aggregate for those 
folks who want to make that difficult transition, with proper support 
and assistance from the Government and from taxpayers, from welfare to 
work. I wanted to point that out to her.
  Mrs. CLAYTON. Mr. Speaker, I welcome the gentleman's comment. I think 
we should make work pay. When we do not make work pay, we make work a 
burden, so those who are on welfare will want to stay on welfare if 
they cannot find enough to provide for their basics. Raising the 
minimum wage will allow for people to be self-supporting and to provide 
for their families, without the Government having to do it.

[[Page H4044]]

  So it is not inconsistent. I think it is consistent with a good 
welfare reform system, a good minimum wage, so increase the minimum 
wage as we move people to work. I appreciate the gentleman's remarks.

                          ____________________