Campaign for a Fair Minimum Wage
ADA's Campaign for a Fair Minimum Wage, a coalition of more than 200 progressive advocacy groups supporting an increase in the federal minimum wage, applauds the U.S. House of Representatives on the passage of the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007, increasing the current $5.15/hour federal minimum wage to $7.25/hour in three modest steps by 2009.
"This vote exemplifies the best in Congressional legislative action - a bipartisan vote of 315-116, including 233 Democrats and 82 Republicans" said Jane O'Grady, Executive Director of the Campaign.
The effort to increase the federal minimum wage has been ongoing for the last 9 years; the last increase in the federal minimum wage went into effect in September of 1997. The Democrats in the House of Representatives made a minimum wage increase a cornerstone of their "100 hours" legislative agenda, which included bills that had been stalled by previous Republican-controlled Congresses.
The legislative action now shifts to the U.S. Senate. The organizations participating in the Campaign for a Fair Minimum Wage are united in their message to their Senators: pass an increase in the federal minimum wage without delay and without amendments. There are forces in the U.S. Senate who want to use the minimum wage bill as a vehicle for more business tax cuts or other "poison pill" amendments. We believe these extraneous matters would only delay the final passage of a wage increase for millions of hard-working Americans. And we look forward to that speedy final passage for a bill that has been too long delayed.
"This vote exemplifies the best in Congressional legislative action - a bipartisan vote of 315-116, including 233 Democrats and 82 Republicans" said Jane O'Grady, Executive Director of the Campaign.
The effort to increase the federal minimum wage has been ongoing for the last 9 years; the last increase in the federal minimum wage went into effect in September of 1997. The Democrats in the House of Representatives made a minimum wage increase a cornerstone of their "100 hours" legislative agenda, which included bills that had been stalled by previous Republican-controlled Congresses.
The legislative action now shifts to the U.S. Senate. The organizations participating in the Campaign for a Fair Minimum Wage are united in their message to their Senators: pass an increase in the federal minimum wage without delay and without amendments. There are forces in the U.S. Senate who want to use the minimum wage bill as a vehicle for more business tax cuts or other "poison pill" amendments. We believe these extraneous matters would only delay the final passage of a wage increase for millions of hard-working Americans. And we look forward to that speedy final passage for a bill that has been too long delayed.
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