Rep. Walz Votes to Increase Minimum Wage

REP. WALZ VOTES TO INCREASE MINIMUM WAGE

Today, the United States House of Representatives passed legislation co-sponsored by Representative Tim Walz that increases the federal minimum wage for the first time since 1997. The legislation, which increases the federal minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 per hour over a period of approximately two years, is the first piece of legislation co-sponsored by freshman Representative Tim Walz.

"Millions of minimum wage workers all across the country are working two, even three jobs and still struggling to make ends meet," Walz said of his vote in favor of the measure. "In this era of record profits for oil and drug companies and skyrocketing salaries for CEO's, its time that some of America's hardest working families share in this nation's record prosperity."

"I received a great deal of support during my campaign from Minnesota's union households," said Walz who is a union member in the Minnesota Educators Association. "Local unions all across the country led the long and arduous fight to pass this legislation and it is my great honor to co-sponsor this legislation and to see it become law. America's working families know this raise is long overdue and they've earned every penny of it."

Raising the federal minimum wage to $7.25 an hour directly benefits 6.6 million workers nationally, according to the Economic Policy Institute. Since the last time the minimum wage was increased, Congress has raised its own pay by $31,600. During his campaign, Walz vowed not to accept a congressional pay raise until the minimum wage was increased.

http://walz.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=55787