[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 10]
[House]
[Pages 12912-12913]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE

  (Ms. LEE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, in one week House Republicans have shown where 
their priorities lie, who they are willing to help, and who really gets 
left behind.
  I am sure the American people are not shocked to hear that 
Republicans once again sided with the wealthiest in our Nation when 
they repealed the estate tax last week. Meantime, Republicans refused 
to join Democrats in providing nearly 7 million Americans a pay raise.
  It is truly mind-boggling that House Republicans continue to believe 
that minimum-wage workers can still get by on $5.15 an hour. Don't they 
know if you take inflation into account the minimum wage is at its 
lowest level in 50 years? Don't Republicans know this is the second-
longest amount of time minimum-wage workers have gone without a pay 
raise? Don't they know that nearly three-fourths of minimum-wage 
workers are not just taking care of themselves but also a family?
  Mr. Speaker, this is totally immoral. In this great Nation it is 
unbelievable that nearly 7 million people must struggle to this extent 
to make ends

[[Page 12913]]

meet. It is only fair we give these workers a raise.
  Democrats are not giving up, and we will continue to fight to give 
these workers their first pay raise in 9 years. It is only fair.

                          ____________________