Committee on Education and Labor - U.S. House of Representatives

Millions Will Benefit from Increase

Nearly 13 million Americans will likely benefit from the Fair Minimum Wage Act -- 5.6 million directly and 7.4 million indirectly. [Source: Economic Policy Institute, 1/07]

  • Almost 60 percent of the 13 million workers who would benefit from a minimum wage increase are women.
  • Nearly 40 percent are people of color.
  • The vast majority -- about 80 percent -- are adults.
  • Fifty-three percent work full time (35+ hours).
  • Families with affected workers rely on those workers for more than half of their family's income. Forty-three percent of all families with affected workers rely solely on the earnings from those workers.
  • 6.4 million children would see their parents' income rise.

"American workers are long overdue for a raise. ...Imagine working for the better part of an hour and only being able to afford a gallon of milk -- how do you ever make ends meet? The answer is: you don't." --Rep. George Miller