Political Quotes

“I thank the gentleman for yielding. I rise in strong support of H.R. 582, the Raise the Wage Act. It has been more than a decade since working people got a raise in this country. Americans are working harder than ever, and labor productivity is overperforming expectations. However, the profit of this increased productivity is not being felt in the checkbooks of working people. In fact, American workers have experienced a 20 percent pay cut in real income due to inflation and the government's failure to raise wages. It is unconscionable that people working full time in the wealthiest nation in the history of the world are unable to afford basic essentials or live in poverty. That is why it is critical that we pass the Raise the Wage Act. Here are the facts: The bill will increase wages for nearly 34 million American workers. About 28 percent of workers in my district in Rhode Island will get a raise of about $2,100 a year. It will lift 3.1 million Americans out of poverty, including 600,000 children, and it will stimulate economic growth. And we know that when workers earn more, they spend more money. While the top 1 percent of Americans continue to amass Gilded Age amounts of wealth, working men and women have been left behind. It is time to reaffirm our commitment to hardworking Americans and pass this critical legislation. Americans deserve a raise, and that is what this bill does. Mr.…”