[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 106 (Thursday, July 18, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H7996-H7997]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



  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 address the House. Her remarks will appear hereafter in 
the Extensions of Remarks.]

[[Page H7997]]



                DAY 9 OF MINIMUM WAGE HOSTAGE SITUATION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Connecticut [Ms. DeLauro] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, its is day 9 of the holding of the minimum 
wage increase hostage by Senate Republicans. They are keeping to their 
threat to stall the minimum wage until medical savings accounts [MSA] 
are added to health care reform. MSA's in exchange for the minimum 
wage--it's not right and it's not how we should govern in this 
Congress.
  MSA's are a bad idea. Consumers Union--the people who publish 
Consumer Reports--has called MSA's a time bomb that will make health 
insurance less accessible and less affordable for many Americans. MSA's 
will make us take a step backward in our quest for health care coverage 
for the majority of Americans. The Republican leadership refuses to let 
MSA's die--a death they truly deserve--because they are a pay-off to an 
insurance company that also happens to be a big-time Republican donor.
  This is an outrage and its despicable. Over 80 percent of the 
American people support a minimum wage increase. A minimum wage 
increase passed both the House and Senate by substantial margin. In 
fact, a Senate Republican aide told the New York Times that 
``Republicans don't believe in raising the minimum wage. We voted for 
it because it was killing us.''
  So they voted for it but they won't let it be enacted. Not until they 
get their pay-off for special interests.
  Mr. Speaker, over 12 million Americans need a minimum wage increase. 
Over 12 million Americans are waiting for a minimum wage increase. Over 
12 million Americans are counting on that minimum wage increase to put 
food on their tables, clothe their kids and maintain their standard of 
living. It is a shame that they have been waiting as long as they have.
  But why should that surprise us? It seems like money talks in this 
Congress. If you contribute, you get your legislation. Just look at 
MSA's. Since minimum wage families can't afford to donate money to 
political campaigns they have to wait for the legislation that will 
help them.
  A 90 cent increase is all we are asking for--90 cents. That's it. But 
the Republicans are firm in their opposition. They don't understand 
that 90 cents can go a long way. This extra pay may seem small but it 
translates into 7 months of groceries, 1 year of health care costs, 9 
months of utility bills, or 4 months of housing.
  In the State of Connecticut 87,158 hard working people earn between 
$4.25 and $5.14 an hour. Each one of those people would benefit by 
passing a minimum wage increase. But these hardworking Americans in 
Connecticut and their 12 million fellow Americans continue to wait for 
a boost in their wages because the Republican party continues to find 
new ways to block the increase.
  A minimum wage worker makes about $8,500 a year. That's it. Two-
thirds of these workers are adults and almost 60 percent are women. 
Over 40 percent are the sole breadwinners in their family. The 
Department of Health and Human Services estimates that the minimum wage 
increase could lift 300,000 families out of poverty including 100,000 
children.
  Day 9 of the Republicans hostile holding of the minimum wage hostage. 
Free the minimum wage and honor the work of over 12 million Americans 
and their families.

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