Frank Riggs: “I very much support the Goodling amendments that deal with the tip credit, the opportunity of training wage and the…”

“I very much support the Goodling amendments that deal with the tip credit, the opportunity of training wage and the computer professional changes to the Fair Labor Standards Act. The first two items, I think, go a long ways toward addressing the concerns of small business owners and business franchisees, especially those who happen to own convenience restaurants, and I heard that from some of the convenience restaurant owners in my congressional district. But on the second item, the small-business exemption, I have to oppose that exemption. I believe it is overly broad. If we are going to grant a small-business exemption under the Federal minimum-wage requirement, it ought to apply only to businesses that are in a startup mode during that first year or two of operation when the survival of the small business is so tenuous. So I have to oppose the small-business exemption as overly broad, as defeating, as many speakers have already said, the primary purpose of the minimum wage increase, and I would urge my colleagues on the division of the question, vote for the first Goodling amendment, but vote against the second Goodling small-business exemption amendment.”