DeLauro: American Workers Deserve Minimum Wage Increase without Political "Poison Pills"

DeLauro: American Workers Deserve Minimum Wage Increase without Political "Poison Pills"

- Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (Conn.-3) today issued the following statement on the expected vote in the U.S. House to raise the minimum wage. Congressional Republicans are expected to put forward a bill that includes controversial provisions such as exclusion of workers currently covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act, reduced health insurance coverage under association health plans, and health savings accounts that threaten employer-provided health insurance.

"At a time when its purchasing power remains at its lowest level in half a century, there ought to be a straightforward up or down vote on raising the minimum wage. Right now, millions of families are finding themselves financially pressed by everything from rising health care costs to gas prices that are at $3 per gallon. Yet even as Congress has gotten a pay increase each year, the minimum wage has remained frozen. Congress should not be giving itself another pay raise - not until the American people get one as well.

"Unfortunately, with this bill, it appears that Congressional Republicans would rather torpedo legislation with controversial "poison pills" than allow for vote on raising the minimum wage - as they have done in the past. Particularly when we have an economy that is not producing rising living standards for most Americans, that is unacceptable."

http://www.house.gov/delauro/press/2006/July/minimum_wage_pills_7_28_06.html