Pelosi Statement on Senate Vote on Minimum Wage

Pelosi Statement on Senate Vote on Minimum Wage

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the following statement tonight on the Senate's vote to reject a Republican bill linking the estate tax and the minimum wage.

"Tonight's vote in the Senate is a victory for the nearly 7 million hard-working Americans who deserve an increase in the minimum wage. Democrats stand together to insist on a straight up or down vote on increasing the minimum wage; we reject the cynical ploy by Republicans to pass legislation that claims to help low wage workers, but actually gives an estate tax cut to the 7,500 wealthiest families in America and adds $800 billion to the deficit.

"Furthermore, this bill would have actually voided state laws and cut wages for workers in seven states across the country, including 650,000 in my home state of California.

"Eighty-five percent of Americans agree with us. It's time for a new direction - let's reward work and raise the minimum wage."

http://democraticleader.house.gov/press/releases.cfm?pressReleaseID=1732