Barbara Kennelly: “I rise today to talk about increasing the minimum wage. I would like to focus on one particular type of low-wage…”

“I rise today to talk about increasing the minimum wage. I would like to focus on one particular type of low-wage worker--women. Almost 60 percent of those making minimum wage are female. Many times, these are women with children to support--women whose alternative would be to go on welfare. As one who has participated in the debate on welfare reform for many years, I can tell you this: The single best way to keep people off welfare is to make work pay. Raising the minimum wage will make an enormous difference for many of these families. For them, it would mean an extra $1,800 a year to put in the family bank account. This one increase equates to an average spent for 7 months of groceries, or 4 months of housing, or 9 months of utility bills. This is no time for political games--raising the minimum wage is long overdue. The wage earners struggling to support their families know it. The President has said and I agree: if you work full-time, year-round, you shouldn't be poor. Raising the minimum wage takes us toward that goal. I believe we should raise it now.”