Today, Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL) made the following statement marking the 5th anniversary of the last increase in the federal minimum wage and calling on Congress to pass legislation to raise the minimum wage to $10.10:
“It has been five years since our nation increased the federal minimum wage. The time for action is long overdue. Hardworking families in my district and across the country deserve a raise now.
“More than half of minimum wage earners work full-time and bring home 50 percent of their family’s total income on average. Yet a full-time minimum wage worker earns only $15,080 a year, making it nearly impossible to support a family and save for the future.
“And, let us not forget tipped workers, who earn a federal minimum wage of just $2.13 an hour and have not seen a raise since 1991.
“I am proud to support the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2013, which will increase the federal minimum wage to $10.10, over the next three years. Congress must pass this legislation without any further delay and give 25 million American workers a raise they rightly deserve.”
Congressman Alcee L. Hastings serves as Senior Member of the House Rules Committee, Ranking Democratic Member of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, and Co-Chairman of the Florida Delegation.
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