[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 101 (Wednesday, July 10, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H7165]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                MINIMUM WAGE: ``WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL?''

  (Mr. KLINK asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. KLINK. Mr. Speaker, I was called by a constituent yesterday, Mr. 
Lou Kasing, who runs an automobile dealership in my district. In fact, 
in Butler County, he is known as Mr. Republican. And he is a good 
businessman, understands business and has a great heart. He says, ``I 
do not understand something.'' He says, ``This business about raising 
the minimum wage, if we raise the minimum wage, are all Federal workers 
going to get an automatic increase?'' I said, ``No.'' He said, ``What 
about the labor unions, do they get an automatic increase?'' I said, 
``No.'' He said, ``Then what is the big deal?''
  As the previous speaker said, no one can raise a family on $8,500 a 
year. We cannot do it. And so, he knows, as a businessperson, the wise 
thing is to have employees who are happy. The wise thing is to have 
employees that can meet their financial obligations while working a 
commensurate amount of time that still allows them to give a portion of 
their time, quality time, to their families and to their communities. 
So we must stop playing games. We must make sure that minimum wage goes 
to the President, he can sign it, and that the poorest workers in this 
country can get a raise.

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