Louis Stokes: “I believe in the same basic tenets that the Founders of the Republic believed in. America needs to live up to its pledge…”

“I believe in the same basic tenets that the Founders of the Republic believed in. America needs to live up to its pledge of being one nation that will provide every American an opportunity to earn a decent living. In today's society there can be no advancement without a decent job and a decent wage. We live in a nation which has veered away from its creed--from its pledge to all Americans--and is now called to conscience. President Clinton has submitted to Congress his budget proposal for fiscal year 1996. Unlike the budgets submitted by Presidents Reagan and Bush, which were dead on arrival in Congress, I applaud President Clinton for presenting a budget that demonstrates his continued commitment to improving the lives of working Americans. His proposal would raise the current $4.25 hourly minimum wage to $5.15 over a 2 year period. I support the President's position that the minimum wage should be increased. At a time when we are considering the reform of our Nation's welfare system, and putting more individuals to work, we need to be able to guaranteed our workers a wage they can live on. Mr. Speaker, in the United States, we continue to make strides toward full economic recovery, with 1994 noted as the best year for economic growth in 10 years. Yet, we continue to have a permanent class of working poor--individuals who go to work every day but find it impossible to make ends meet.”