Kendrick Meek: “It is so lopsided and so one-sided. Of course, Mr. Speaker, Members of Congress would come to the floor and say, oh, the…”

“It is so lopsided and so one-sided. Of course, Mr. Speaker, Members of Congress would come to the floor and say, oh, the economy is doing great, what are you talking about? I do not know what these folks are whining about that are making $5.15 an hour; I do not know what their problem is. Why are they talking about an increase in the minimum wage? Matter of fact, what is the minimum wage? Well, let me just say this, they would not know because the Republican majority has not raised the minimum wage since 1997. Zero since 1997. The cost of whole milk has gone up 24 percent. Bread has gone up 25 percent. A 4-year public college education has gone up 77 percent. Health care costs have gone up 97 percent, and of course, regular gas, and this is just regular gas, has gone up 136 percent. We have Republican leaders that are here saying in so many words not over my dead body am I going to raise the minimum wage. Of course, what are you talking about? The economy is doing great. If you let the Republican majority tell you that, you know what? In 1998 Members of Congress received $3,100 in a raise. In 1998, no minimum wage increase. In 2000, $4,600 raise for Members of Congress; in 2000, minimum-wage workers, zero. 2001, $3,800 increase, just got one the year before, Members of Congress; 2001, zero for minimum-wage workers. 2002, $4,900 increase, we just had an increase, but you know this is not good enough. $4,900 increase; 2002, of course, zero.…”