[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 74 (Thursday, May 23, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H5546]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             THE HOUSE VOTE ON INCREASING THE MINIMUM WAGE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Texas [Ms. Jackson-Lee] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I think all of us can accept 
this week, as we head into the honoring and celebrating of our veterans 
and those who are in our military bases across this land and this 
world, that today we struck a very positive blow for working Americans. 
It is difficult sometimes with the flurry of debate and one accusation 
after another to really clear away some of the confusion, and to know 
whether or not we were in fact destructive, undermining, or whether in 
fact we have given something worthy for those who work every day in 
America.
  I would simply like to indicate, Mr. Speaker, that this wound up 
being a bipartisan decision to increase the minimum wage. It was a 
reflection of over 80-percent of the American public who said yes, this 
is a good idea. In meeting with a small businessowner today for lunch 
from my hometown in Houston, I was very proud of her and the words she 
said, in offering, ``I think it is the right thing to do.''
  We have heard in this debate again the rising of one and the sitting 
of another, and coming to the well to rebut what the other one has 
said. It seems confusing, and the singular tone or sound of those who 
opposed this was the elimination or the undermining of small businesses 
and the elimination of jobs that are given by small businesses. Let me 
say to America that that was an attractive hook for you to hang onto, 
but it was absolutely wrong.
  First of all, the main point is that in the State of Texas, 1.1 
million workers would be denied an increase if we had not raised the 
minimum wage. Right now the minimum wage is $4.25. I do not know about 
you, but I respect young people, and I am sorry that we used them as a 
hammer, as well: All the people making the minimum wage are young 
people.
  Who says that the reason that they work is not a valid reason: 
supporting the family, adding to the ability to go to institutions of 
higher learning, or even being able to stay in school. Why should we 
denigrate our young people because they are at the bottom rung?
  Second, let me say that, I hate to say it, minorities were used as 
another club: Well, if you raise the minimum wage, you will see the 
jobs lost for African-Americans and Hispanics and maybe women. Let me 
offer to say that this is not a racial issue. This is not to say that 
the only people who need an increase in the minimum wage are African-
Americans and Hispanics. They are Americans.
  Let me also give a point of information, that most of the small 
businesses owned by African-Americans, women, minorities collectively, 
are sole proprietorships. That means that they do not hire anyone, they 
are still climbing the rung, they are still climbing to access capital. 
But in fact, the broad number of individuals who work for a minimum 
wage are individuals who have families, who have opted to work over 
welfare. Why not reward them, being the first increase in almost 6 
years, the lowest minimum wage since 1938 in terms of its output? In 
1979 the minimum wage equaled $6.25, not in the number but in what it 
could purchase. What can you do with $4.25? That is giving you change 
back from a $5 bill.
  So it was important for this house today to vote on a clean minimum 
wage bill, one that would increase it a mere 90 cents, to $5.15, and to 
rebut those arguments that you would put small businesses out 
of business or you would eliminate jobs.

  We understand the free marketplace. Yes; I would be dishonest not to 
say that goods and services may increase because of the profit margin, 
but people will be working for a fair and decent wage. They will then 
circulate their dollars back into the system. We will give them 
dignity. They will be able to maintain a family, that 59 percent that 
we talked about, many of whom are single parents, women in particular.
  I think it is important that we kind of clear the air and explain 
why, in fact, the Goodling amendment to exempt businesses of a certain 
category was not good, because those businesses in our malls of America 
where we go and shop, there are people who work there who go home every 
day and have the same responsibilities as all of us: the rent payment, 
the electricity payment. It is important not to make this a war against 
the American worker and small businesses. We can work to support small 
businesses, as we have done with the Small Business Tax Incentive Act, 
which I supported, and we, too, can vote for the American worker. I am 
glad today that we increased the minimum wage for all America to have a 
decent quality of life.

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