Joe Crowley: “My amendment--and I say this in anticipation and hope that the Chair and the gentleman from Florida doesn't think I am…”

“My amendment--and I say this in anticipation and hope that the Chair and the gentleman from Florida doesn't think I am tampering. Tampering has a very negative connotation to it. What I would like to think we are doing is legislating today, and I would hope that it is taken in that light. Mr. Chairman, my amendment would decrease part of the bill before us by $7.25 and increase the budget of the White House by that same amount. Why would I offer this amendment? It is such a small amount of money after all--$7.25. But just ask the millions of Americans who make only $7.25 an hour, otherwise known as the current minimum wage. What can the executive branch do with this money? They can buy pens, Mr. Chairman. They can buy pens that the President could use to keep signing executive orders focused on raising the wages of hardworking Americans. Last February, in light of no action from this Republic-controlled Congress, the President took the small but legal step of raising the minimum wage of employees working on Federal contracting projects, such as fast-food employees in Federal buildings and on our military bases. What has become crystal clear is that the Republican majority has no intention of putting forward an agenda focused on lifting hardworking Americans out of poverty. They have no intention of putting forward a jobs agenda. They have no intention of helping to foster economic growth in our country, but this administration wants to.…”