[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 67 (Friday, April 29, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E627]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              MINIMUM WAGE

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                               speech of

                            HON. GENE GREEN

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 28, 2016

  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 
hard work and dedication of workers in our district in Houston and 
Harris County, Texas who deserve a living wage, and I call on Congress 
to vote on raising the minimum wage.
  There are over 10 million Americans working full time today who earn 
below the poverty line--under $24,000 a year for a family of four.
  In my home state of Texas, over 450,000 people are paid the minimum 
wage, more than any other state.
  African-Americans and Hispanics are the most likely in our country to 
be among the working poor. Nearly 1-in-7 black and Hispanic Americans 
work full-time and live below the poverty line.
  Eight percent of all working women in our country, 5.5 million 
Americans, are among the working poor.
  Mr. Speaker, this is simply not right. Our country must value hard 
work and pay our workers a living wage if we are going to compete in 
the 21st century.
  I am a proud original cosponsor of the Raise the Wage Act. This bill 
would raise the minimum wage nationwide to $12 an hour by 2020, and 
index the minimum wage to inflation afterwards, giving 35 million 
Americans--more than one in four--a raise.
  Increasing the minimum wage would raise earnings by nearly $80 
billion and grow our economy when millions of Americans can finally 
afford to buy a new television, automobile, or home.
  This bill would end the unfair treatment of tipped workers by giving 
waiters and waitresses the same minimum wage as other workers.
  America is a hardworking and compassionate country. We can no longer 
stand by while millions of our neighbors continue to live in poverty 
despite their great efforts.
  I urge my colleagues to stand with the American people and demand a 
vote to raise the minimum wage.

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