Frank Pallone: “I just wanted to point out some of the lessons we learned in the House while debating this issue. No. 1 is that the…”

“I just wanted to point out some of the lessons we learned in the House while debating this issue. No. 1 is that the American people want a raise in the minimum wage for everyone and they want it now. We learned that lesson every time the Republicans proposed amendments in the House to defeat the bill. Now the Senate is trying to resurrect some of the same amendments defeated in the House. One amendment offered by the Senate Small Business Committee chairman will delay implementation of the wage hike by 6 months. His amendment will also exempt small business from the increase, denying 6,000,000 American workers a living wage. This is a cruel hoax to play on those who need an increase in the minimum wage the most. Mr. Speaker, the President will veto this bill if it comes to his desk with these poison pill amendments. I urge the Republicans in the Senate to learn from the House. The American people want an increase in the minimum wage, and it will save us a lot of time and money if they simply vote for an increase in the minimum wage and leave out all the destructive amendments.”