[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 14]
[House]
[Page 20227]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 MILITARY FAMILIES AND THE MINIMUM WAGE

  (Mr. BUTTERFIELD asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Madam Speaker, today, many American families will 
finally receive a long overdue pay raise when phase one of the Federal 
minimum wage increase takes effect.
  It has been 10 long years since American workers have seen an 
increase in the Federal minimum wage, the longest gap in the history of 
the law. Over that decade, inflation has all but erased the effect of 
the last increase, leaving millions of families, including military 
families, struggling to survive.
  Currently, Madam Speaker, 10 percent of military spouses earn between 
$5.15 and $7.25 an hour. These 50,000 military families are part of the 
nearly 13 million Americans who will benefit from the Federal minimum 
wage increase that takes effect today.
  Madam Speaker, increasing the minimum wage is just one part of a 
broader American agenda to strengthen the economy and help working 
families. Democrats believe that all Americans, not just the privileged 
few, deserve to make a living wage.
  I am proud that we passed this legislation, and especially glad that 
it will help so many of our military families.

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