Thomas Daschle: “today the distinguished and esteemed Senator from Massachusetts and I are reintroducing the Democratic proposal to raise…”

“today the distinguished and esteemed Senator from Massachusetts and I are reintroducing the Democratic proposal to raise the minimum wage. For those familiar with the legislation, they know that our legislation--the bill being reintroduced this afternoon--raises the minimum wage by $1 over 2 years, to $6.15 an hour. It is a modest but badly needed bill. It is overdue. It has already passed in the House, as most of our colleagues know, by an overwhelming margin, with strong bipartisan support. It deserves equally strong and bipartisan support in this Chamber. Among the many people who support our proposal are America's religious leaders--the U.S. Catholic Conference, the United Church of Christ, the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, the American Friends Service Committee, the Unitarian Association of Congregations, the Episcopal Church, the Methodist Church, and many more religious organizations. There are Republicans and Democrats in this coalition of religious leaders, and all have joined together in supporting the effort to raise the minimum wage by $1 an hour over 2 years. A job isn't only a source of income. A job, frankly, is a source of pride--or it should be. The Catholic Conference tells us that the minimum wage ought to reflect the principles of human dignity and economic justice. That is what it ought to reflect. There ought to be more to a minimum wage than simply what pay you get.”