Texas Democrats

Vote Against 1.7 Million Texas Workers

(Austin, TX)-Texas Republicans in Congress voted to keep millions of hard-working Americans in poverty yesterday by opposing a much-needed hike in the minimum wage.  The bill (H.R. 2) that passed the U.S. House Representatives with bipartisan support will increase the federal minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 over two years, benefiting over 1.7 million Texas workers. [Economic Policy Institute, 12/06]  Despite the bill's strong support from Members of both parties, President Bush and the American public, 16 out of 19 Texas Republicans in Congress showed how out of touch they are with every day Texans by voting against the measure. [Roll Call Vote #18, 1/10/06]

"Every Texan deserves an equal chance at economic success, but many Texas Republicans want to keep the door of opportunity closed to over 1.7 million Texas workers," said Texas Democratic Party Chair Boyd Richie.  "These Republicans are simply out of touch with working families in our state.  At $5.15 an hour, no parent can afford to feed, clothe and provide adequate housing and health care for their children."

At the current level of $5.15 an hour, a full-time minimum wage worker brings home $10,712 a year -nearly $6,000 below the poverty level for a family of three. Raising the minimum wage would provide an additional $4,400/year for a family of three, equaling 15 months of groceries, or over two years of health care - helping them to keep up with rising costs. [Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, August 2006; Consumer Expenditures Survey, 2003-2004]

"It is inexcusable that Republicans in Congress denied minimum wage earners a pay increase for nine years, yet they managed to boost their own Congressional salary by $31,600," added Richie.  "Our new Democratic Congress, on the other hand, is committed to working for the American people and managed to pass this significant legislation less than two weeks after they took office.  I applaud the Texas Democrats in the U.S. House, all of whom listened to the American people and voted to help working families attain a better life."

Under the former Republican Congress, the federal minimum wage remained at $5.15 an hour for nine years, but the real value of the minimum wage has plummeted to its lowest level in 51 years, leaving many full-time, year-round workers living in poverty.  For nine years, Tom DeLay and Republican leaders in the U.S. House refused to address the dire need for a raise in the minimum wage, but during that time, Members of Congress added $31,600 to their own paychecks. [Economic Policy Institute, 6/06]