[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 14]
[House]
[Page 20226]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE

  (Mr. YARMUTH asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. YARMUTH. Madam Speaker, in this body, where we often discuss 
proposals to allocate millions or billions of dollars, it can become 
easy to lose sight of what just a few thousand dollars a year can do. 
But the increase in the minimum wage, the first part of which takes 
effect today, will make a major difference in the lives of America's 
working families. The extra $4,400 per year that these families will 
bring home to their families will have a very tangible impact on their 
lives.
  For families who have struggled too long without a raise, $4,400 a 
year translates into 15 months of groceries, 19 months of paid utility 
bills, 20 months of child care, or well over 2 years of employer-
provided health care. The extra money could even pay for 30 months of 
tuition at a public 2-year college, allowing these parents to get 
additional education or to help their children achieve their dream of 
attending college.
  Madam Speaker, thanks to the Federal minimum wage increase passed by 
this Democratic Congress, nearly 13 million working Americans and more 
than 6 million children will have a chance at a better life. This fair 
and long overdue pay raise is an important first step in moving our 
Nation in a new economically healthy direction.

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