[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 80 (Tuesday, June 20, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1209]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE (REPUBLICANS STALL BILL THAT WOULD BOOST 
                               SALARIES)

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON-LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 20, 2006

  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, workers across this country 
are increasingly being asked to do more with less. As prices rise on 
housing, health care, energy and education, the millions of Americans 
who work full time and make minimum wage are slipping farther and 
farther into poverty.
  The minimum wage in this country has not been raised since 1997 and 
is now at its lowest level in 50 years when adjusted for inflation. 
Making only $5.15 an hour, a full-time minimum wage employee will earn 
only $10,700 annually. This is far from enough to make ends meet--
especially for the 75 percent who are responsible at least half of 
their family's income. Raising children on a middle-class income is 
hard enough--imagine trying to do it on one-third of that amount.
  Mr. Speaker, Democrats believe that the minimum wage should be a 
living wage. No American who works full-time, all year, should live in 
poverty, unable to support their family. Last week, Democrats were 
successful in inserting a minimum wage increase into the Labor-H-H-S 
appropriations bill. But now the Republican leadership is stalling a 
floor vote. It is time for real action to move hard working Americans 
out of poverty. Seven million Americans deserve a raise today.

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