"Today, the House of Representatives passed a long overdue minimum wage bill that increases the current federal wage of $5.15 an hour to $7.25 over a two-year period. This bill brings necessary relief to hard working Americans, many of whom struggle daily to stay above the poverty line. I can't think of a better way to start off the 110th Congress.
The real value of today's minimum wage is at its lowest level since 1951 while working families face increasing costs for health, energy, and education. For instance, at $5.15 an hour, a full-time minimum wage worker brings home $10,712 a year -nearly $6,000 below the poverty level for a family of three.
The decline in the value of the federal minimum wage, which hasn't been raised for almost ten years, has occurred while American productivity and profits have climbed steadily. This is simply unfair and this legislation will significantly improve working families' ability to make ends meet.
Though 28 states and the District of Columbia currently have a higher state minimum wage (including Massachusetts at $7.50 an hour) this legislation will help nearly 13 million people including roughly 7 million women and millions of other disadvantaged workers.
This is only a beginning step to reinvigorating the working class that is all too often neglected. The Democratic led Congress will continue to advance an agenda that empowers working people to improve their lives. To achieve this we must face the challenges of today's global economy and work with the business community, educators, state and local governments and other entities to best prepare our workers for tomorrow."
