Fifty-four senators voted to raise the federal minimum wage from $5.15 an hour to $7.25 an hour, without giving any more lucrative tax breaks to business. But because of the mostly Republican opposition to a clean minimum wage bill in the form of a filibuster, that was six votes too few for passage.
U.S. Senator Norm Coleman of Minnesota was one of five Republicans to break with his party and vote for the clean minimum wage bill. U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota was among the Democratic majority that voted for the clean bill.
Coleman\'s office said it marked the sixth time the senator has voted in favor of raising the minimum wage. In remarks on the floor, Klobuchar said Congressional action was long overdue.
"Today, nearly 15 million American workers – more than 10 percent of the workforce – are counting on us to help them get a fairer wage," she said. "Almost 7 million of them would directly benefit because their hourly pay is below $7.25 an hour. Another 8 million with wages slightly above this level would also get a needed boost.
"In my state, Minnesota, more than 200,000 people are waiting for Congress to do its job."
The 54–43 vote on cloture (it takes 60 votes to end debate on a filibustered bill) means the Senate now will take up a minimum wage bill (S. 2) that, along with the $2.10 wage hike, will include tax breaks and other giveaways that President Bush says he wants added to the bill before signing a minimum wage increase. With the gifts to business, that bill is likely to pass.
Wednesday\'s rejection of the clean bill passed last week by the U.S. House of Representatives is likely to delay the long-overdue increase for millions of workers whose minimum wage has less buying power than anytime in more than 50 years. House Democratic leaders have promised to fight for a no-strings-attached wage hike during the House/Senate conference that will be required to iron out the differences in the two bills.
"Adding a tax package to the bill creates procedural hurdles that will delay—perhaps significantly—the implementation of the increase," said Senator Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., the legislation\'s chief sponsor. "Minimum wage workers could wait months for a raise they so clearly deserve."
In addition to the delay, Kennedy cited recent surveys that find businesses don\'t need any extra tax breaks to pay their workers a better wage. For example, a recent Gallup poll found that 86 percent of small business owners do not think the minimum wage affects their business, and three out of four small businesses said an increase in the minimum wage would have no effect on their company.
Five Republican senators crossed the aisle to back a clean bill. In addition to Coleman, they were Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine, Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania nd John Warner of Virginia.
The Senate is expected to consider a number of amendments—including some that may pare down the tax giveaways—to the tax-break-laden bill and bring it to a final vote later this week or early next week.
Mike Hall writes for the AFL-CIO blog, http://blog.aflcio.org/ This article is adapted from one posted on that website.
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Fifty-four senators voted to raise the federal minimum wage from $5.15 an hour to $7.25 an hour, without giving any more lucrative tax breaks to business. But because of the mostly Republican opposition to a clean minimum wage bill in the form of a filibuster, that was six votes too few for passage.
U.S. Senator Norm Coleman of Minnesota was one of five Republicans to break with his party and vote for the clean minimum wage bill. U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota was among the Democratic majority that voted for the clean bill.
Coleman\’s office said it marked the sixth time the senator has voted in favor of raising the minimum wage. In remarks on the floor, Klobuchar said Congressional action was long overdue.
"Today, nearly 15 million American workers – more than 10 percent of the workforce – are counting on us to help them get a fairer wage," she said. "Almost 7 million of them would directly benefit because their hourly pay is below $7.25 an hour. Another 8 million with wages slightly above this level would also get a needed boost.
"In my state, Minnesota, more than 200,000 people are waiting for Congress to do its job."
The 54–43 vote on cloture (it takes 60 votes to end debate on a filibustered bill) means the Senate now will take up a minimum wage bill (S. 2) that, along with the $2.10 wage hike, will include tax breaks and other giveaways that President Bush says he wants added to the bill before signing a minimum wage increase. With the gifts to business, that bill is likely to pass.
Wednesday\’s rejection of the clean bill passed last week by the U.S. House of Representatives is likely to delay the long-overdue increase for millions of workers whose minimum wage has less buying power than anytime in more than 50 years. House Democratic leaders have promised to fight for a no-strings-attached wage hike during the House/Senate conference that will be required to iron out the differences in the two bills.
"Adding a tax package to the bill creates procedural hurdles that will delay—perhaps significantly—the implementation of the increase," said Senator Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., the legislation\’s chief sponsor. "Minimum wage workers could wait months for a raise they so clearly deserve."
In addition to the delay, Kennedy cited recent surveys that find businesses don\’t need any extra tax breaks to pay their workers a better wage. For example, a recent Gallup poll found that 86 percent of small business owners do not think the minimum wage affects their business, and three out of four small businesses said an increase in the minimum wage would have no effect on their company.
Five Republican senators crossed the aisle to back a clean bill. In addition to Coleman, they were Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine, Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania nd John Warner of Virginia.
The Senate is expected to consider a number of amendments—including some that may pare down the tax giveaways—to the tax-break-laden bill and bring it to a final vote later this week or early next week.
Mike Hall writes for the AFL-CIO blog, http://blog.aflcio.org/ This article is adapted from one posted on that website.