[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 116 (Thursday, August 1, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H9708]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE NOW A POSSIBILITY

  (Mr. POMEROY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. POMEROY. Mr. Speaker, this morning I rise to give credit to a 
small brave group of House Republicans that will join House Democrats 
and make it possible to at least raise the minimum wage. We in the 
House minority think that $4.25 an hour is not enough to live on. We 
know that with the minimum wage at its lowest purchasing point in 40 
years, the time to act is now.
  Unfortunately, the rigid, extreme opposition of the House majority, 
most of the Members and their leadership, have made it impossible to 
act before this point. In fact, the House majority leadership has said 
that they ought to eliminate the minimum wage, not raise it.
  Well, a few Republicans working with us in the House minority are 
going to create a bipartisan majority to raise the minimum wage. I 
admire those House Republicans that took on their leadership on this 
one. They have made it possible to do something very important for 
working Americans.

                          ____________________