Washington, D.C.--Congressman Eliot Engel issued the following statement on the national minimum wage, which increased today by 70 cents, from $6.55 per hour to $7.25 per hour. This was the final of three increases enacted by the Democratic Congress in 2007.

“This minimum wage increase was accomplished by the Democratic Congress in the first 100 hours of the 110th Congress. Previous to the actions taken back in 2007, it had been close to nine years since the last increase in the minimum wage. This was the longest period without a pay raise since the federal minimum wage law was first enacted in 1938.

“New York was ahead of the curve in providing for families struggling to live on the minimum wage, by increasing the state minimum wage to $7.15 back in 2007. I am pleased to see the federal government has officially caught up to the levels New York minimum wage workers have had, since 2007. This latest increase will now surpass that amount. Nearly three-quarters of minimum wage workers are adults over the age of 20, and many are responsible for over half of their family’s income.

“As our economy recovers, these wage increases for those hardworking Americans who need it the most will help stimulate the economy by providing more income for groceries, gasoline, and other necessities. We still have much work to do to keep some families above the poverty line, but putting more money in the paychecks of our workers is a great step in the right direction.”