Hoyer Amendment to Raise the Minimum Wage Passes
"I am very pleased that my amendment raising the minimum wage passed in the Appropriations Committee today.
"Republicans talk about creating an 'ownership society,' yet the fact remains that their policies have left millions of families earning the minimum wage struggling to afford the basic necessities.
"The minimum wage has not been increased since 1997, and new findings from the Center for Economic and Policy Research that I released today with Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the ranking House Democrat on the Education and the Workforce Committee, show that the minimum wage is now at its lowest level in 50 years.
"Earlier this year, the Maryland Legislature overrode Governor Ehrlich's veto—effectively raising the state's minimum wage from $5.15 to $6.15 an hour.
"This federal increase would further benefit hard working Maryland families.
"My amendment is very similar to the bill introduced by Mr. Miller and would gradually raise the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25. I will continue fighting until a raise in the minimum wage to a fair, livable level is made law."
Hoyer's amendment passed 32-27 in the Appropriations Committee markup of the FY07 Labor Health and Human Services Appropriations Bill. Unless the Republican leadership of the House interferes, the amendment's passage means the House will vote on the minimum wage for the first time in a decade.
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