Bruce F. Vento: “I will not get into a seance with my friend from Georgia, but some good news that did come through from the Senate this…”

“I will not get into a seance with my friend from Georgia, but some good news that did come through from the Senate this week was the passage of the minimum wage bill. That is right, in spite of the Republican leadership's concerted effort in the House and Senate to set the agenda and to add a poison pill to the minimum wage, the American public's will is being reflected in the other body and in this House. Unfortunately, the antics and tricks to try and stop the minimum wage, the 90-cent increase for those that are making $4.25 an hour today, is still in motion. They are threatening, in fact, to tie it up and hold it to other bills, to in fact try and put in place tax breaks that will dig the deficit hole deeper in this country and deny low-income workers, mostly, I might say, adults, and very often, too often, women, the opportunity to get a fair wage, a living wage. Mr. Speaker, America needs a raise, and they need this Congress to respond fair and equitably. At the same time we are cutting all the social programs, we have to let people earn their way and get a fair wage in our economy.”