Obama Calls On Congress To Raise Minimum Wage, But States Aren’t Waiting
In his State of the Union speech last night, President Obama vowed to take action wherever he could to increase opportunity and create an economy that works for all Americans–with or without the help of Congress. For example, he announced that by executive action he will raise the minimum wage for federal contractors under new contracts to $10.10 per hour.
But raising the federal minimum wage for all Americans is in the hands of Congress, so he also made a direct pitch to those on the floor of the House chamber: “Join the rest of the country. Say yes. Give America a raise.”
We agree: Congress should join the rest of the country. Cities and states across the nation aren’t waiting for federal action, they are taking steps to raise wages for their workers right now:
BOTTOM LINE: Our country should continue to do everything it can to provide opportunity for those who work hard. Among many other benefits, raising the minimum wage will lift working families out of poverty, inject billions of dollars into the economy, and raise wages for an estimated 17 million women. States increasingly see this as a no-brainer, and Congress should too.