[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 12]
[House]
[Pages 15676-15677]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           REPUBLICANS BLOCK AN INCREASE WHILE WORKERS SUFFER

  (Mr. McGOVERN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, the Republican leadership of this body is 
preparing to adjourn the House for a 5-week vacation at the end of this 
week without meeting the needs of America's working families. 
Republicans continue to block an increase in the minimum wage that 
would benefit 6.6 million people in this country, three-quarters of 
whom are adults over the age of 20 trying to support their families.
  This Republican Congress has refused to raise the minimum wage since 
1997, causing it now to reach its lowest real value level in 50 years. 
The current pay of $5.15 per hour is simply not a fair or living wage 
in this economy. In fact, it now takes a minimum wage earner a full 
day's pay just to buy a tank of gas. What does that leave for housing 
and for food?

[[Page 15677]]

  Democrats believe that it is simply unacceptable in this great and 
wealthy Nation for an American who works full time to live in poverty 
while the Republicans in this body give handouts to the wealthiest 1 
percent.
  Mr. Speaker, House Republicans have had numerous opportunities to 
vote for an increase in the minimum wage; yet they continue to stall 
this critical measure while millions of Americans suffer the 
consequences.
  We should not leave this week without giving 6 million Americans a 
pay raise.

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