Fair Minimum Wage Act of 1987

[Ben 239]

 

 

 

Quote

 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 

Mrs. DuBois-Granger (for herself and others) introduced the following bill

 

A BILL

 

To increase the federal minimum wage and index it to the rate of inflation.

 

Section 1. Short Title

 

This Act may be cited as the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 1987.

 

Section 2. Increase in the Federal Minimum Wage

 

(a) The federal minimum wage shall be increased as follows:

 

(1) $3.68 per hour, effective January 1, 1988;

(2) $4.01 per hour, effective January 1, 1989;

(3) $4.34 per hour, effective January 1, 1990;

(4) $4.67 per hour, effective January 1, 1991;

(5) $5.00 per hour, effective January 1, 1992.

 

(b) On January 1 of every year after 1992, the federal minimum wage shall increase according to the rate of inflation, but not to exceed 5%.

 

 

 

72 Hours to Debate

[FrankP 37]

Mr. Speaker,

 

I motion to amend the bill by the following;

 

Insert the following at the end of section 2;

 

(b) On January 1 of every year after 1992, the federal minimum wage shall increase by the same percentage of any pay raise that is enacted for members of the United States Congress during the previous fiscal year.  

 

I Yield. 

 

 

 

 

[MrAnderson 400]

Mr. Speaker, 

 

I continue to voice my deep opposition over a bill designed to benefit the economies of a handful of states by forcing others, my constituents, to pay more at the grocery store or at the gas pump. We have our minimum wage because it costs less where I live than in downtown Boston. When you raise your minimum wage, it encourages people to drive to the next state to buy their goods, because it costs less to run a business there. States who raise the minimum wage make a choice, and you should never try to force the same choice on the rest of us when you are regretting that lost business. 

 

And while many of my colleagues storm forward on this bill, they forget the horrid impact it will have on countless Americans for the sake of bailing out states that have raised their minimum wage and scared businesses away. Illinois doesn't need this, and we get by just fine from the rural parts all the way up to Chicago. You need to solve your problems at the state level, not force us all to sit in the same pile of bad policies. 

 

I yield. 

 

[Brady 18]

12 hours ago, FrankP said:

Mr. Speaker,

 

I motion to amend the bill by the following;

 

Insert the following at the end of section 2;

 

(b) On January 1 of every year after 1992, the federal minimum wage shall increase by the same percentage of any pay raise that is enacted for members of the United States Congress during the previous fiscal year.  

 

I Yield. 

 

Mr. Speaker,

 

I second the amendment.

 

I yield.

[Rangerboy 36]

Mr. Speaker,

 

I cannot, I repeat, cannot support this legislation. Raising the minimum wage will completely ruin the economy by driving prices up. Everything from burgers to housing will raise in price and we will be back at square one. Also, if you enforce these onto small businesses that don't make nearly as much as bigger businesses, they will eventually go out of business and kill, what I consider, the backbone of this nation. If the other side of the aisle wants citizens to have more money to spend, why don't we give them tax cuts? That way, they will have more money to spend, which will help out the economy more than raising the wage. I urge my colleagues from both sides to oppose this legislation, and think about the average citizen and the small business owner!

 

I yield

[FrankP 37]

Mr. Speaker,

 

Every time a bill comes forward to raise the minimum wage, the Republican's shout about the sky falling. They say that raising the minimum wage will put small businesses out of business, and that big businesses will stop hiring workers. Let me tell you the truth of the matter. Increasing the minimum wage will increase the quality of life for millions of Americans, and it will open the door to the American dream just a crack further for them to try to slip through and make something of themselves. Big businesses will continue to thrive. Small businesses will continue to thrive. And finally, the American worker will see their opportunity to thrive. I strongly urge my colleagues to vote for this important bill, and to put the American worker first, and not corporate profits. 

 

I Yield. 

[Conrad 109]

Mr Speaker, 

 

There should not be a federally mandated minimum on what a business pays its workers. We live in a Republic with a Union of states that are capable of making their own decision based on their local state economies. I will not be supporting this legislation and any future legislation to federally mandate a minimum for the wage in the United States. I simply can't understand how we can apply the same wage standards to Utah that we do to California which is bigger and more economically well off. When we had the Gold Rush, we saw business and individuals pack up and go to California cause it was better for them. As the gentleman from Illinois stated, people and business will do the same. I have every faith in local state governments to raise the wage, if they so please, dependent on their economy.

 

I yield.

[FrankP 37]

Mr. Speaker,

 

We now have members of this body advocating for an economic system pre-industrial revolution era. The glory days of the Gold Rush, and a time akin to Upton Sinclair's The Jungle. Times when there were no federally mandated worker safety laws, and no federal minimum wage. My colleague says he does not feel that the government has a right to a federally mandated minimum wage. This is contrary to our constitution. In 1941 the Supreme Court ruled in US. vs. Darby Lumber Company, that Congress has the constitutional right and duty to regulate working conditions, including the matter of a federally mandated minimum wage. Over the years, we have seen profits soar while the minimum wage has not kept up the pace.  

 

My colleague has also said that he has "every faith in local state governments to raise the wage" but we have seen time and time again throughout history, wages fall when it is left up to the businesses to police themselves, or for the local governments to try to battle big business interests without the backing of the federal government. My colleague knows, and i would wager hopes, that by keeping the minimum wage low, corporate profits will continue to soar, and as always, it will be at the expense of the American Worker. 

 

We must pass this bill to help the American worker throughout the country. We must do it now. 

 

I Yield. 

[Conrad 109]

Mr Speaker,

 

I move to table this piece of legislation.

 

I yield.

[TexAgRepublican 18]

17 minutes ago, Conrad said:

Mr Speaker,

 

I move to table this piece of legislation.

 

I yield.

Mr. Speaker,

 

I second this motion.

I yield. 

[Ben 239]

Motion to table recognized, please vote here: