Walz, who represents Minnesota\'s 1st Congressional District, was sworn in Thursday as the 110th U.S. Congress convened, under Democratic leadership for the first time in a decade. The change in leadership means it\'s likely that the nation\'s lowest-paid workers will get a raise.
"We have people working 40 hours a week, working 52 weeks out of the year, and making less than $11,000," said Walz. "It\'s just that sense of fairness. Also, by giving livable wage, it removes their dependence on some of the programs that are out there that we have to offer when they can\'t make ends meet."
The bill, part of the Democrats\' "First 100 Hours Agenda," would boost the federal minimum wage to $7.25 from the current $5.15 per hour. The wage has not been increased since 1997.
According to the Economic Policy Institute, an increase in the federal minimum wage to $7.25 per hour would mean higher pay for 14.9 million workers, 80 percent of whom are adults age 20 or older, and income would rise for parents of 7.3 million children.
Minnesota increased its minimum wage to $6.15 an hour on Aug. 1, 2005, and that raise would be superceded by the new higher federal wage.
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Walz, who represents Minnesota\’s 1st Congressional District, was sworn in Thursday as the 110th U.S. Congress convened, under Democratic leadership for the first time in a decade. The change in leadership means it\’s likely that the nation\’s lowest-paid workers will get a raise.
"We have people working 40 hours a week, working 52 weeks out of the year, and making less than $11,000," said Walz. "It\’s just that sense of fairness. Also, by giving livable wage, it removes their dependence on some of the programs that are out there that we have to offer when they can\’t make ends meet."
The bill, part of the Democrats\’ "First 100 Hours Agenda," would boost the federal minimum wage to $7.25 from the current $5.15 per hour. The wage has not been increased since 1997.
According to the Economic Policy Institute, an increase in the federal minimum wage to $7.25 per hour would mean higher pay for 14.9 million workers, 80 percent of whom are adults age 20 or older, and income would rise for parents of 7.3 million children.
Minnesota increased its minimum wage to $6.15 an hour on Aug. 1, 2005, and that raise would be superceded by the new higher federal wage.