William L. Clay: “Mr. Speaker, the Goodling amendment effectively denies an increase in the minimum wage to millions of current workers…”

“Mr. Speaker, the Goodling amendment effectively denies an increase in the minimum wage to millions of current workers and denies minimum-wage and overtime coverage to millions of new workers. The small-business exemption eliminates minimum-wage and overtime coverage for more than two-thirds of all businesses in this country. It guarantees that more than 10 million current workers will derive no benefit from future increases in the minimum wage. Employees in the garment industry sweatshops, farm workers, and workers in sheltered workshops are among those who will ultimately lose overtime protection if the Goodling amendment passes. An estimated 3 million workers in the retail industry and another 4.5 million in the service industry would be exempted from the minimum wage and overtime law. Sixty-seven percent of all retail firms, and an astounding 78 percent of all service firms are exempted by this amendment. Mr. Speaker, I doubt that this legislation would pass the Senate, and I expect that if it gets to his desk with the small-business exemption attached, that the President will veto the bill. I, for one, will not support final passage of this bill if this provision is part of the bill. The rest of the Goodling amendment is not much better. The so-called opportunity wage provides that for the first 90 days of employment, 16- to 19- year-olds can be paid only $4.25 an hour.”