Asa Hutchinson: “I just wonder where all of this passion was 2 years ago when Democrats controlled this Chamber, controlled the other…”

“I just wonder where all of this passion was 2 years ago when Democrats controlled this Chamber, controlled the other Chamber and controlled the White House. Not once, not once, was a minimum wage proposal brought up before the full House, before a committee, or before a subcommittee. What we are seeing now is rhetoric. What we are seeing is election year politics. I rise to oppose increasing the minimum wage, not because I do not want to help working Americans, but because I do want to help them. We know, we know, that raising the minimum wage will kill jobs. It will take opportunities away from those who we claim we want to help the most. I point to Melody Rane and her family who own two Burger King franchises in Eureka, CA. A minimum wage hike will force her to lay off four full-time and eight part-time workers at her stores. She will also be forced to raise her prices, which will hurt everyone, especially the working poor, whom we claim that we have compassion for. According to Melody, raising the minimum wage will hurt teens more than anyone else she employs because she will no longer be able to provide entry-level jobs for them.”