Raise the Federal Minimum

Floor Speech

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the urgent need to raise the Federal minimum wage to $10.10 per hour.

Since 2009, we have had the same $7.25 per hour minimum wage. Over the last 5 years, inflation rates caused the value of that to decrease by an average of 13.6 cents per year.

Today, $7.25 is worth 9 percent less than it was in 2009. For someone working full time on minimum wage, this is like getting a $26 decrease in pay. Meanwhile, the cost of everyday necessities continues to increase. Between basic needs like gas, milk, heat, and electricity, Americans are paying $23.19 more per month.

Many times, I have urged my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to do the right thing and allow a vote to ensure American families can have the comfort of a livable wage.

For those who are not working and struggling to keep afloat in these tough times, let's vote to extend the unemployment benefits that expired.

I urge my colleagues to stop brushing working Americans under the rug and pass a fair minimum wage.

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