[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 2497]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                       INCREASE THE MINIMUM WAGE

  (Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I am appalled today 
that there is going to be real debate on whether or not we are going to 
raise the minimum wage by one dollar over 2 years or 3 years. We are 
talking about present minimum wage of $5.15 an hour. Can we imagine 
that in the greatest economy that we have ever known? Persons who are 
heads of these companies are making multi-million-dollar salaries per 
year and the ones who make them get there cannot even get a dollar 
raise in minimum wage. These are working mothers who have to pay child 
care, shelter, food, transportation. Most do not even have health care, 
so we have to pay that as taxpayers. I cannot believe this Nation ought 
to be outraged that we are debating whether or not we are going to 
raise minimum wage by one dollar, just one dollar, over a 2-year or a 
3-year period. That is unconscionable. I do not know anyone in any 
State that can live on minimum wage and take care of all of their 
responsibilities. Their responsibilities become ours.

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