Providing for consideration of H.R. 5970, Estate Tax and Extension of Tax Relief Act of 2006

PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 5970, ESTATE TAX AND EXTENSION OF TAX RELIEF ACT OF 2006 -- (House of Representatives - July 28, 2006)

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Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts for yielding me this time.

Mr. Speaker, before we begin this debate, I urge each Member to ask themselves, why did you first seek election to this House? It is my hope that it is similar to my reason: to represent my hometown, to craft laws and policies that will serve the best interests of the families and businesses of that community, and to ensure that the world we leave behind is better than the world you and I inherited. Of late, I think Congress has forgotten that.

When I compare the laundry list of items important to my constituents and the American people to what Congress is doing, a disconnect is apparent. An overwhelming majority of Americans think it is long past due to increase the minimum wage. Over the past 6 years, this Congress has done little, if anything, to help those earning the minimum wage and the families who depend on them.

The buying power of the minimum wage is now at its lowest point in 57 years. At the same time, the cost of key necessities like health care, education, and gas have been rising faster than inflation. Yet during the past 8 years, Members of Congress have raised their own pay seven times by nearly $30,000. In those same years, minimum-wage workers have not gotten a single raise. They continue to earn an average of $10,700 a year.

Raising the minimum wage is a real tangible policy decision to significantly help 7.5 million Americans who this Congress has virtually ignored. We can make this choice only by allowing an up-or-down vote on Congressman Miller's bipartisan bill. This bill would gradually raise the minimum wage from $5.15 an hour to $7.25 an hour.

Since February, nearly 200 Members have signed the petition that would force and up-or-down vote on this measure, and that is what we should have today.

The only reason we have not had a vote on it is because of the Republican leadership. They resisted the will of the American people and a bipartisan coalition of Members.

And now that the minimum wage increase will finally be debated by the House, it has once again been loaded down with poison pills. If the Republican leadership really cared about raising the minimum wage, they would not have waited until the eleventh hour before the House leaves for recess. This is a transparent election-year ploy. I am confident the American people will see it for what it is.

When a party holds three votes to roll back the estate tax, but refuses to allow a clean vote on the minimum wage, it is clear where its priorities are.

While raising the minimum wage will help millions of Americans, the estate measure will primarily benefit just 7,500 families.

Looking at the majority's record, we should not be surprised.

There is the series of tax cuts that benefit the wealthiest among us, the massively flawed Medicare prescription drug benefit and subsidies for oil and gas companies. But for those in the middle class and working families, there is not much to talk about, nothing to help get access to decent health care or build on the promise of stem cell research, or lower the price of gas or make college more affordable. At the end of today, the majority certainly cannot claim to have made a good faith effort to raise the minimum wage.

And that is truly a shame, because you have squandered an opportunity to help the constituents that need your help the most.

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