[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 1]
[House]
[Page 743]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           WHY WE CAN'T WAIT

  (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, in this week of recognition 
and admiration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I am reminded of a book 
he wrote and the words ``why we can't wait'' which emphasized the 
urgency of the civil rights movement for the then Negro in the United 
States of America.
  Today we rise to indicate to America we cannot wait for an increase 
in the minimum wage. We cannot wait for that waitress who asked me when 
she would be able to provide more for her children and have the 
opportunity for the American dream.
  By raising the minimum wage today, we impact 7 million women, 3.4 
million parents, and we raise it from $5.15 to $7.25 over 2 years. In 9 
years, 10 years, we have not raised the minimum wage.
  I say this in the backdrop of the President's speech tonight on Iraq, 
because that theme follows why we can't wait for a successful policy in 
Iraq, and why we can't wait to have the President change directions to 
ensure that we eliminate that failed policy.
  We are going to stand for a new direction in Iraq, saving our 
soldiers and bringing them home with dignity. And we are going to stand 
for working families in America.

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