Frank Pallone: “I think it is very wrong to suggest that somehow raising the minimum wage is not going to help the average American wage…”

“I think it is very wrong to suggest that somehow raising the minimum wage is not going to help the average American wage earner who lives on it. The bottom line is that we have seen over and over again, and most importantly in my home State of New Jersey, where the minimum wage was raised a few years ago to the level that we are now or somewhat close to the level that we are now proposing in Congress, and the result was that minimum wage workers actually had their wages increased, were able to go out and buy more goods, and more services had to be provided to them. Jobs in the State of New Jersey actually increased so that there were more economic opportunities, more work opportunities for jobs created in our State because of the increase in the minimum wage. So this notion that somehow raising the minimum wage is going to decrease jobs and put people on the street and not help those who are now dependent on the minimum wage, I think is just a false issue.”