Boren Votes To Increase Minimum Wage
BOREN VOTES TO INCREASE MINIMUM WAGE
U.S. Congressman Dan Boren today voted for bipartisan legislation to increase the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour over two years. H.R. 2 passed the House of Representatives 315-116 and now awaits action in the Senate.
"Many hardworking Oklahomans struggle to make ends meet on the minimum wage," Boren said. "I am proud to support this legislation that will provide relief for thousands of families across our state."
The current rate of $5.15 an hour was set in 1996. When adjusted for inflation it is at its lowest rate in more than 50 years. U.S. Department of Labor statistics show that 36,000 Oklahomans work at or below the minimum wage, and Boren considers the issue especially important to the Second District. At $27,885 per household, the median income in his Eastern Oklahoma district is the 10th lowest in the nation.
"Minimum-wage earners make up a higher percentage of the workforce in Oklahoma than any other state," Boren said. "It's time their wages caught up with the increases they have seen in their expenses over the past decade."
A number of small business group have called for a minimum wage increase to be offset with tax relief. Boren is one of the strongest allies the small business community has in Congress. He received a perfect rating from the National Federation of Independent Business, the nation's leading small business advocacy group, for his voting record in the 109th Congress.
"I have supported and will continue to support tax cuts that help our small businesses thrive," Boren said. "They are the backbone of our rural communities and I am committed to doing whatever I can to help them create jobs and improve the quality of life."
H.R. 2 will increase the minimum wage by $2.10 - from $5.15 to $7.25 an hour over two years. The bipartisan bill raises the minimum wage to $5.85 effective 60 days after enactment; to $6.55 one year later; and to $7.25 one year after that. This would mean an additional $4,400 per year for a family of three, equaling 15 months of groceries, or over two years of health care - helping them to keep up with rising costs.
http://www.house.gov/list/press/ok02_boren/20070110wage.html