Raising the Wage Would Help 28 million Americans and 48,000 Residents in the 9th District of Illinois
Washington, DC—(ENEWSPF)—October 10, 2014. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, a cosponsor of H.R. 1010, the Fair Minimum Wage Act, released the following statement on National Minimum Wage Day:
“This National Minimum Wage Day, I stand with hardworking Americans who deserve a raise. Passing the Fair Minimum Wage Act to raise the national minimum wage and fighting for a higher wage at the state and local level is the right thing to do for American workers – including the 48,000 in my district and 28 million nationwide.
The passage of the Fair Minimum Wage Act would improve our local as well as national economy. In fact, we would see a $22 billion boost in national economic activity with this wage increase.
The raise would help dedicated Americans who are sometimes working two or three jobs and still having trouble paying rent, bills and putting food on the table. Raising the minimum wage would lift nearly one million minimum wage workers out of poverty.
This summer, my husband and I took the Live the Wage challenge, living on $77 dollars for a week. I can say from personal experience that $7.25 per hour is not enough to survive on. The $8.25 minimum wage in Illinois is not enough either – and I am proud that many in my state, including Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Governor Pat Quinn, are pushing for an increase in the minimum wage. In fact, there is referendum ballot this fall in which Illinois residents can vote to raise the wage. Still, all Americans deserve a minimum wage increase at the federal level.
I will continue to be a strong supporter of the Fair Minimum Wage Act. Although Republicans have voted to block this bill eight times in the past two years, I will not back down from this fight. The time is now for Congress to give Americans a raise.”
Source: Schakowsky.house.gov
