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MR. HOYER: I THANK THE GENTLELADY FOR YIELDING. I RISE IN -- I CERTAINLY ADOPT THE REMARKS OF MR. OBEY FROM WISCONSIN. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A CREDIT BILL. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT MAKING IT IN ORDER. IN ORDER TO HAVE CREDIT, YOU HAVE TO HAVE RESOURCES. IN ORDER TO HAVE RESOURCES IN OUR COUNTRY, WE THINK YOU NEED TO WORK. AND WHEN YOU WORK, WE OUGHT TO PAY YOU. WE OUGHT TO PAY YOU A DECENT, FAIR WAGE FOR WORKING HARD AND PLAYING BY THE RULES. SOME WOULD SAY, WELL, WE OUGHT NOT TO PUT THIS ON THIS CREDIT BILL F WE DEFEAT THE PREVIOUS QUESTION, WE ARE GOING TO OFFER AN INCREASE IN THE MINIMUM WAGE TO $7.25. OVER THREE INCREMENTS STARTING WITH JANUARY 1. THE MILLER-OWENS BILL. WE ARE GOING TO OFFER THAT BECAUSE WE THINK IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO. WE ARE GOING TO OFFER IT BECAUSE WE THINK THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF AMERICANS THINK IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO. IN POLLING DATA THEY SHOW THAT 86% OF AMERICANS THINK IT IS FAIR AND RIGHT AND TIMELY TO INCREASE THE MINIMUM WAGE. IF IN 1968 WE HAD APPLIED SIMPLY THE SAME COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT WE PROVIDED FOR SOCIAL SECURITY RECIPIENTS, MINIMUM WAGE WORKERS WOULD BE EARNING $9.05 TODAY. WHAT WOULD THAT DO? THAT WOULD TAKE THEM ABOVE THE POVERTY LINE. RIGHT NOW IF YOU WORK HARD, PLAY BY THE RULES, AND ARE YOU ONE OF 6.6 MILLION AMERICANS, 75% OF THEM ARE ADULTS, AND YOU TAKE THEM AND PAY THEM FULLY THE MINIMUM WAGE, THEY ARE LIVING IN POVERTY. THAT'S NOT RIGHT IN AMERICA. IN FLORIDA THEY PUT ON THE BALLOT THIS ISSUE, AND 72% OF FLORIDIANS WENT TO THE POLLS AND NOT ONLY INCREASED THE MINIMUM WAGE BUT INCLUDED IN IT A COST ESCALATOR FOR INFLATION. 72% OF FLORIDIANS. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THIS IS THE FAIR THING TO DO. IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO. IT'S THE TIMELY THING TO DO. AND VERY FRANKLY THOSE ON THE MINIMUM WAGE MIRED IN POVERTY AND HOPELESSNESS. WE TALK ABOUT AN OPPORTUNITY SOCIETY. THERE IS NO OPPORTUNITY LIVING IN POVERTY. IF YOU BELIEVE IN AN OPPORTUNITY SOCIETY, YOU BELIEVE IN PAYING PEOPLE A DECENT PAGE -- WAGE SO IN THE RICHEST NATION ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SURVIVE. THIS PRESIDENT TALKS ABOUT OWNERSHIP SOCIETY. WHICH ONE OF YOU THINKS THAT ON $5.15 AN HOUR YOU CAN OWN ANYTHING? YOUR CAR, YOUR HOME, YOUR HOPE. WHAT DEFEATING THE PREVIOUS QUESTION WILL DO WILL GIVE HOPE TO 6.6 MILLION PEOPLE, AND INDEED MANY MORE BECAUSE THOSE 6.6 MILLION PEOPLE LIVE IN FAMILIES THAT ARE STRUGGLING AS WELL. AND THEY ARE PARTICIPATING IN TRYING TO MAKE IT WITH THOSE FAMILIES. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, DEFEAT THE PREVIOUS QUESTION. LET US PASS THE MINIMUM WAGE. IT IS FAR PAST THE TIME WHEN WE SHOULD HAVE DONE THAT, BUT IT IS TIME TODAY THAT WE DO DO THAT. LET'S BE FAIR. RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE.
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