[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 123 (Wednesday, September 27, 2006)]
[House]
[Page H7503]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE; WE SHOULD INCREASE THE MINIMUM WAGE TODAY

  (Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute.)
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, when are the House 
Republicans going to allow a minimum wage bill to come up on the floor 
where we actually vote on the minimum wage? It needs to become law.
  As health care, groceries, energy, housing costs skyrocket for 
average consumers, House Republicans would rather help their CEO 
friends than average Americans who are just trying to make ends meet.
  Today, full-time workers who earn the minimum wage are only bringing 
home $10,700 a year. The average corporate CEO makes that much money 
during his first 4 hours of work for the year. This is simply not fair. 
Yet, for months, House Republicans have refused to allow a clean 
minimum wage vote on this House floor. Do House Republicans really 
expect that a family can live on less than $11,000 a year?
  The Democrats want to take the Nation in a new direction, one where 
the needs of all Americans are addressed. We want a clean vote on the 
minimum wage.
  And, Mr. Speaker, in light of the Republican leadership's 
unwillingness to move legislation on the minimum wage, I ask unanimous 
consent to bring up H.R. 2429, the legislation to increase the minimum 
wage.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the settled guidelines previously 
cited, that request cannot be entertained.

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