[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 81 (Wednesday, June 21, 2006)]
[House]
[Page H4335]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             DEMOCRATS ATTEMPTING TO INCREASE MINIMUM WAGE

  (Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, over the past 5 
years, average, hardworking Americans have been ignored by the 
Republicans in Washington. While House Republicans have been showering 
their corporate interest friends with tons of tax breaks, they have 
refused for 9 years, for 9 years, to bring to the floor a vote to 
increase the minimum wage. It is time that this Congress gave 7 million 
people across the United States a raise.
  Last week the Democrats were successful in adding a minimum wage to 
the labor appropriation bill, and it was supposed to be on the floor 
this week, but the House leadership refuses to bring it up. They want 
to bring it up after the elections. Why would that be? They are afraid 
if they vote against it, which they need to vote against the minimum 
wage, the rest of you Americans won't vote for them. So they are going 
to wait until after the election.
  The American people should know that House Democrats are not running 
away from this issue. In fact, increasing the minimum wage is one of 
our top priorities.

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