lot of that background. this concludes the second panel for today's hearing. before we adjourn i would like to ask unanimous consent that a supreme court brief written on this subject by senators mccain and white house be included in the record. without objection. also without objection, hearing record will remain open for five business days for additional statements and post hearing questions submitted in writing for our witnesses to answer. i want to thank my colleagues for participating in joining us in this hearing, sharing their thoughts and comments on this important topic. this hearing of the rules committee of the united states senate is now adjourned. ..

almost 5000 students entered this year's c-span student video come petition on the most important hunger should consider in 2014. >> a moment where we all decided this was going to be our topic was when there was an article on fracking in our local newspaper and it said have fracking was happening two miles from our house. there is this national problem and now it's also a local problem. from that moment on we were very passionate about the subject and it seemed obvious that is what our topic should be. >> food is essential to life. everybody requires food to live so i figured the fact that a lot of people don't know what's being done to our food supply

and they just eat visited regularly without knowing what is inside of it i found that very concerning and that's why he chose the topic. >> there's a lot more that you don't know and it's hard for the average person to know exactly what is going on because they don't know what is going on. do you value your security over your privacy or your privacy over your security? >> hear more from the top student cam winner saturday morning on c-span. >> senate majority leader harry reid speak on the senate floor about the action the mbas taking against clippers team owner donald sterling. senator reid reed also urge the nfl to -- to change the team's name. on our facebook page we are asking you about race relations and how far you think the u.s. has come. >> madam president yesterday

america watched as adam silver and the national basketball association acted justly in punishing donald sterling for is harmful, for racist behavior. commissioner solar band commissioner sterling for life and a 2.5 million dollar fine. i along with most all of america applaud his work is with a moving to stamp out -- commissioner silver and the mba leadership of set the standard for how professional sports regulation should act in the face of racism. i wonder today madam president how the leadership of the national football league the nfl the money-making machine i wonder if they have taken notice of the nba's decisive action. how long will the nfl continue

to do nothing, zero as one of its team bears a name that afflicts so much pain on native americans americans. men imprisoned americans. men imprisoned by a 22 tribal organizations in nevada. all over america especially in the western part of united states but not only the western part of united states, we have large numbers of native americans. it is untoward that donald's sterling to hide behind tradition that's what he says in refusing to change the name of the team. madam president what tradition? a tradition of racism? mr. snyder knows that in sports the only tradition that matters is winning. so i urge daniel snyder to do what is morally right and remove the degrading term from the league way changing the team's name. it's been done before right here

in washington d.c.. 17 years ago the washington bullets and a wonderful man madam president sought the gun violence and murders taking place in the d.c. area and what did he do? he voluntarily decided that name washington bullets wasn't any good and change the name. he didn't want his team to be associated with all its. so he changed the name of the organization from the washington bullets to the washington wizards. we all followed the washington wizards in the last couple of weeks. they are now in the second round of the playoffs. we are all happy about that. they have struggled for a long time. we support, the american people support the wizards. the wizards is a good name. don't you think daniel snyder can come up with a name? it should be easy that he could invite the fans to choose a

name. he could ask high school kids to come up with a name, anything they came up with a rare exception would be better than the washington team name they have now. but since snyder fails to show any leadership the national football league should take an assist from nba and pick up the slack. it would be a slamdunk badham president. for far too long the nfl has been sitting on its hands doing nothing while entire population of americans has been denigrated so i say to commissioner would roger udall. i believe roger udall is a good man but as time for this good man to act and remove this hateful term from your league's vocabulary follow the nba's example in the delete of your tree and racism. your fans will support it. i note the absence of a form. >> on our facebook page we want to hear from you about how far

race relations in the u.s. have come. leave your comment at facebook.com/c-span. republican senators blocked a bill to increase the federal minimum wage. at the white house president obama criticize republicans for opposing the bill and called on voters to contact their senators senator bob corker was the only republican voting to advance the bill which would raise the minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $10.10 an hour over 30 months. this is 10 minutes. [inaudible conversations]

>> ladies and gentlemen the president of the united states. [applause] >> thank you. thank you everybody. thank you. [applause] thank you. everybody please have a seat. thank you everybody. please have a seat. good afternoon. aloha. [laughter] we have a hawaiian guy here. after 14 months since i have called on congress to reward the hard work of millions of americans like the ones we have here today to raise the federal minimum wage, we saw this morning a majority of senators saying yes, but almost every republican saying no to giving america a raise.

they blocked a bill sponsored by tom harkin congressman george miller who is right here in the front. [applause] the bill that would have gradually raise the minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $10.10 an hour. by preventing even a vote on this bill they prevented a raise for 28 million hard-working americans. they said no to helping millions work their way out of poverty and keep in mind this bill would have done so without any new taxes or spending or bureaucracy they told americans like the ones who are here today that you are on your own without even looking them in the eye.

we know these americans. we depend on them. the workers who would benefit from a minimum wage increase often work full-time, often in physically demanding jobs. they averaged 35 years of age. most low-paying jobs are held by women but because republicans in congress have said no to even allowing a vote on the floor of the senate, these folks are going to have to wait for the raise they deserve. now the good news is outside of washington folks aren't waiting. while republicans have been deciding whether to even allow a minimum wage bill to come up for a vote, we have seen 10 states and the district of columbia go ahead and raise fares. [applause]

yesterday the hawaiian legislation voted to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour. maryland's did the same thing earlier this month and i know we have got some maryland state legislators here today. [applause] thanks for the good work. so the actions that have been taken in just four states maryland, connecticut minnesota and hawaii means that over a million workers will see a raise. what's more, we have seen big companies like the gap, and small businesses or may pizza joint in st. louis to an ice cream parlor in florida, increasingly choosing to raise wages for their employees because they know it's good business. they know that it means employees are more likely to stay on the job, less turnover. it means that they are going to be more productive and customer see the difference.

that is one of the reasons i issued an executive order requiring employees on new federal contracts to be paid a fair wage of at least $10.10 an hour. [applause] so americans have been way out in front of congress on this issue. in fact about three in four americans support raising the minimum wage. and that's because we believe that in the wealthiest nation on earth nobody who works full time should ever have to raise a family in poverty. if that's a basic principle. [applause] and at a time when those at the top are doing better than ever while millions of americans are working harder and harder just to get by, that three out of four americans understand that america deserves a raise.

a few months ago i got a letter from a woman named sheila. she lives in georgia and at the time she was working two jobs making $8 an hour at each job. as sheila wrote i do not have days off. i had hours off. she kept going to work every day because she wanted to be able to afford college tuition for her daughter. so she wrote to me and said i do not want a pot of gold. all i want is to pay for college and pay my bills in full every month. that's all she is looking for. doesn't expect to get wealthy, just wants to deal to pay her bills at the end of every month. to be able to act responsibly, to meet her responsibilities based on her own hard work. people like sheila deserve a fair shot.

so far republicans in congress disagree. in fact some of them want to scrap the minimum wage entirely. one house republicans said it has outlived its usefulness. i'd vote to repeal the minimum wage. the senate republicans said he doesn't think minimum wage helps the middle class. this is a very simple issue. either you are in favor of raising wages for hard-working americans for you are not. either you want to grow the economy from the middle out in the bottom of so that prosperity is broad-based or you think that top-down economics is the way to go. republicans in congress have found the time to vote more than 50 times to undermine or repeal the health care bill for millions of working families. earlier this month they voted for a budget that would give the wealthiest americans a massive tax cut while forcing deep cuts to investments that help middle-class families. but they won't worry is wages

for millions of working families than three-quarters of americans supported tax that makes no sense. and on top of that they have blocked their efforts to make sure women receive equal pay for equal work. they stood in the way as we fought to extend unemployment insurance for parents who need a little help supporting their families while they are out looking for work. republicans have failed to dismantle the affordable care act and they have increasingly fail to do anything when it comes to helping people who work hard to get ahead. if there's any good news here is that republicans in congress don't get the last word on this issue or any issue. you do, the american people, the voters. [applause] changes happening whether republicans in congress like it or not. so my message to the american

people is this. do not get discouraged by a vote like the one we saw this morning. get fired up, get organized, make your voices heard and rest assured i'm going to keep working with you and leader nancy pelosi and other members of congress who are here today to raise wages for hard-working americans. it's the right thing to do. [applause] if you're a member of congress doesn't support raising the minimum wage, you have got to let them know they are out of step and that if they keep putting politics ahead of working americans he will put them out of office. tell them to reconsider. tell them it's time for $10.10. you can tweet at them, use the hashtag 1010 means. let them know how raising the minimum wage would help you or your family or somebody you know. and while you're at it tell them to restore unemployment insurance for americans who are trying to support their families right now while they look for

work. [applause] extending this lifeline of unemployment insurance would actually strengthen the economy and create jobs and give millions of americans across the country a sense of hope. in the meantime i'm going to keep offering my support to every business owner, mayor and governor and county official and legislator and organization that's working to give america a raise. change does not come from washington, it comes to washington from all the folks out there who are working hard. americans want the people they sent here to set aside the old political arguments and move this country forward with enough determination and enough persistence the american people will ultimately win out. so thank you and god bless you. god was the united states of america. [applause] [applause]

>> the there was a city slicker who was driving around and came across this old cowboy. so the city slicker as the old guy how to get to the nearest town. >> not that old joke. not again. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen i have been attending these dinners for years. [laughter] and just quietly sitting there. well i have got a few things i want to say for a change. [applause] this is going to be fun because it really doesn't have a clue about what i'm going to say next. george always says he is delighted to come to these press dinners. baloney. [laughter]

he is usually in bed by now. i am not kidding. i said to them him the other day george, if you really want to end tyranny in the world you're going to have to stay up later. [applause] i am married to the president of the united states and here is our typical evening. 9:00, mr. excitement here is sound asleep. [laughter] and i'm watching "desperate housewives." [applause]

>> we are going to be taking a look at a new book by c-span, "sundays at eight" and emmanuel touhey who is c-span's web editor joins us on our set. emmanuel touhey why do a book like this? >> guest: atari collection of stories here at c-span and the main reason to do the book is to share the stories that c-span has covered over the years. the sunday evening program which airs at 8:00 started with booknotes 25 years ago and became q&a 10 or 15 years later. so the stories have been told over the years are worth bringing from the screen to the printed page and sharing with you. >> host: what is in the book "sundays at eight"? what stories are you telling? >> guest: there's a doubt that

the breath of this book or have half there have been two previous books. we have american history and we have media and society and money in politics and post-9/11 america so the chapters themselves and the book kind of formed itself and shaped itself and the books themselves and the stories are a reflection of the times of the depth and breadth of booknotes in q&a over the years. >> what the format of the book and out of the come together? >> guest: as you know with booknotes and q&a it's basically a q&a show. you have one guest for one hour and you go through an in depth discussion on whether it's a public policy issue or personal story or what have you and what we did was we took out the questions. the questions whether to facilitate answers and they fade away at a certain point and the answers are what matter.

a minimal amount of editing is to basically allow the guest to articulate their story whatever the story is and let it speak for itself. the viewer and the reader will gather basically the answers and the guest in their own words. >> host: so what are some of of -- what are some of your favorite stories? >> guest: well you know it was a path of discovery for me and the team working on this book. there are so many fascinating stories. just to mention one in particular crystal wright who is the editor and publisher of conservative black chick.com, she was talking about her politics and bringing in virginia and how she was influenced by her parents. one of the things that we all know from american history as the rosa parks moment where she is forced to give seat and she

declines and then you have history unfolding before our eyes in the south. she said that was when she learned about that story her mother said to her well before that happened i have my own rosa parks moment area she said what do you mean? she said well i got on a bus in richmond that i went to the back of buses i was supposed to and an older white gentleman got on the bus and asked me to give up my seat and i said would you want me to do? i marty at the back of the bus. what you have wrapped up in that moment is personal history politics policy and that's basically what the program is about, an extension of everything we do here at c-span and it was a candid moment that was an extended interview and it revealed something about the guest that was both fascinating and something about our country and our countries history. >> host: where can people learn a little bit more about the book and watch some of these

interviews that have taken place over the years? >> guest: you can watch all the interviews if you go to c-span/"sundays at eight". you can see all the interviews. there are 41 in total and you can on any of the images and you'll be able to watch the whole program. their transcripts were those who want to see how the program interviews i'm full of themselves and you can watch clips. if you have wikipedia pages you can watch those and worried about the authors themselves and if they have web sites and twitter accounts and so on and so forth so there's quite a little information there and i think people will find it useful and interesting. >> host: "sundays at eight" 25 years of stories from c-span's q&a booknotes. kate people can buy it now. what happens to royalties for this book? >> guest: the royalties go to the educational foundation that we have here at have here at c-span so there are at c-span so there are no profits here and i think it's important to stress this was a collaborative effort

as you well know from your own work here on c-span. you wear a lot of hats so a lot of people are involved in this process from the people who make the program happened to people who edited the interviews to make it all come together. going back into the continuation of the work that c-span does and that's basically at the educational foundation. >> host: emmanuel touhey who is c-span's digital media web editor thank you very much. >> guest: thank you for having me. >> host: the book is "sundays at eight".

the house oversight and government reform committee holds a hearing thursday on libya and the 2012 benghazi consulate attack. >> did the script a line for

you? >> in retrospect i wish they had the late julianne share who led the nasa relations with the outside world in many ways was absolutely adamant that headquarters never put words in the mouths of their people, not just the astronauts but anybody and to let people speak for themselves. they made it known what the line was and the nasa position was but beyond that to my knowledge controlled the statements, public statements of others and certainly they insisted on it.

senate republicans blocked efforts to advance a bill to raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $10.10 an hour over 30 months. senator bob corker from tennessee was the only republican to vote for the measure. up next a senate debate on that bill. it's an hour and 50 minutes. >> mr. president by rice is going to talk about the matter before us which is the minimum wage. today the senate will vote cloture to proceed to the minimum wage fairness act which would increase the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour over the course of three years. we don't know what the result

will be today but we are working to get as much support as possible because getting past this first hurdle of course is essential to getting the bill passed. giving americans who are working very hard a fair shot at some economic security that they may not have right now. but we have got a lot of work to do because there are still people out there especially here in watching 10 who are making arguments that don't make a lot of sense and to me don't make a lot of sense to the people of pennsylvania. where i come from where someone works a full day and a full week most people believe that they should have a fair shot at making not just a living but making sure that they have enough of a living that they can lift themselves out of poverty. you shouldn't work 40 hours a week and be paid a poverty wage. unfortunately that's the case

for far too many americans. they are increasing the minimum wage would help workers make ends meet and it would offer a list up the ladder to the middle class and boost the economy by boosting spending. we know that is the case. all the data shows that. although studies show that but we still have to make the case to some folks here in washington wages for most workers are in keeping up the cost of living, the cost of paying a mortgage for raising a family and so many other metal last concerns. the pay of minimum wage workers is in keeping up with inflation. six years have passed since the last minimum wage increase was enacted. pay for the mill plus a stagnant while the gap between the haves and have-nots have widened substantially. the charter my right tells a story about what could have been if we were able to increase the minimum wage. it is about giving a fair shot

to our families into our workers by raising minimum wage. increasing the minimum wage helps a lot of folks across the country more broadly and of course it helps working families. look at these numbers. 27.8 million workers across the country. there are very few things united states senate can do today or this week that would provide that kind of direct economic jumpstart to so many communities and 27.8 million people. look at the boost to gdp. i mentioned that earlier. 22 billion-dollar boosted the economy. again there are very few things of any that we can pass here in the senate that would provide that kind of jumpstart to the economy just when we needed. a number number of jobs created across the country some 85,000 and some think the numbers higher than that. and on pennsylvania this would have a job increase impact into the thousands in pennsylvania.

look at the number for women. this is mostly an issue about women who are working every day trying to support their families and it also has an impact obviously on children. women that would get a raise, 15.3 million women across the country. i would like to hear someone who is on the other side of the aisle demonstrate to women across this country what they will do in place of that if they are going to say now is not the time for raising the minimum wage but what about those women who are shouldering most of the burden to raise their families and to make their way in a tough economy? children with a parent that would get a raise, 14 million children have a parent that would get it loose in the minimum wage. again i would say what is your answer or what is your strategy

to give a boost but really more appropriately stated they measure of security for our children? there is little and i'm not sure i can name another action the senate could take to make sure that 14 million children have a measure of security that they do not have today, they do not have today in an economy that in some parts of the economy is getting a little better. americans overall lifted out of poverty. 2 million americans will be lifted out of poverty for passing the increase in minimum wage. again i would ask anyone on the other side is there a bill, is there a vote, is there a step we can take in the senate this week or next week that would do the same to help 14 million children to lift 2 million americans out of poverty? i don't know of any. i will wait and see what their

answer is. i hope they will answer that question because they should. this is a debate and they should answer that question. tell us what you will do to help 14 million children that they are not going to support raising the minimum wage. $4.6 billion per year. we hear attacks all the time and justified though they are from the other side about this that program this that programs this that program that weise to call the food stamp program. they are always talking about we need to reduce spending in that program. instead of cutting people like so many in this body who seem to want to do every day the week voting for budgets that would/ support for people that need help just having a measure of food security, being able to feed their families, instead of doing that why don't you raise the minimum wage and let them out of poverty and lift them out of their dependence they have to

have on an important program like the s.n.a.p. program. that's the better way to reduce those numbers. it's not just a question of what is right. it's a question of the best economic strategy for that worker, for his family and for the economy overall. then finally veterans that would get a raise, 1 million veterans. we hear speeches all the time don't we here in washington? both sides of the aisle and ended most cases and in almost every case they are heartfelt and they are honest about the support that one senator or a group of senators provide to help our veterans. i have no doubt people are sincere when they say that but there are some opportunities around here where you can take action. you can cast a vote that has a direct benefit not just on 14 million children but in this case on 1 million veterans. you have to ask yourself if you can cast that vote would you going to do?

what are you going to do with the power that you have to cast your vote to stand up and say i support an increase in the minimum wage? if you are not going to do that and you are not going to vote for this or ever vote for this then what are you going to do to help those same 1 million veterans for those same 14 million children or those 15.3 million women? if you have an answer for that and you have a different strategy that will get us to these numbers let's hear it. i would like to hear the answer to that. i haven't heard it yet. maybe i haven't been listening but i will try to listen closely to what the arguments are on the other side of the aisle. the hashtag raise the wages a good way to summarize why this is so fundamental and really so simple. it's about giving people a fair shot. it's not about some program that people are asking for to be created.

it's about basic fairness and giving folks a fair shot in the economy which is still very tough for a lot of families. mr. president i think it's critical that we emphasize some of these numbers but it's also a think really about the human drama that so many families have been living through. so many of them that have lived through the recession and are still climbing out of the hole they were in and they may have lost their job. they made have run out of unemployment insurance. they may have lost their homes through the course of all that and there's no question in it's irrefutable that the cascading effect of that trauma hits not only the worker and maybe if they have a spouse or partner the person standing next to them but it also has a cascading effect on children as well in

the family and then to all of us we all have a stake in this. the idea that raising the minimum wage is about some other group of people out there who are far away from us makes no sense. if we raise the minimum wage the economy for everyone gets better and you know folks don't have to take my word for it. over 600 economists, 600, not six or 10 but 600 become as including seven nobel laureates have signed a letter stating their support for raising the minimum wage to $10.10 because it would be good for workers and it would not, not have a negative effect on jobs and would even provide a boost to economic activity. i'm not going to read the whole letter mr. president but the letter released in january of this here let me read a statement from it and that i will conclude. this is a letter from 600 economists in january.

quote at a time when persistent high unemployment is putting enormous downward pressure on wages such a minimum-wage increase would provide a much-needed boost to the earnings of low-wage workers. in recent years there've been important developments in the academic literaturliteratur e on the effects of increases on the minimum wage on employment. with the weight of evidence now showing that increases in the minimum wage have had little or no, let me say it again, little or no negative effect on the employment of minimum-wage workers. even during times of weakness in the labor market. research suggests that a minimum-wage increase could have a small stimulative effect on the economy is low-wage workers spend their additional earnings raising command and job growth and providing some help on the jobs front unquote. that is a long statement by 600

economists. very measured. it's not inflating numbers and things this is going to cure all of our economic challenges are all of our economic woes but is a clear and unequivocal endorsement of raising the minimum wage. i would add to that with all due respect to those smart economist the data here. i will conclude and let me make one more point and then i will conclude. i don't have it in front of me but one of the organizations that has endorsed an increase in the minimum wage is the american academy theatrics. why? because they know a lot about taking care of kids. they know a lot about how to provide the best health care for kids. they know a lot about the traumas and the difficulties that a lot of children face especially fair for gore if they are low-wage, family getting low

wages. the child is impacted. there's no doubt about that. all the science tells us that all the literature tells us that but if the american academy of pediatrics is saying we should raise the minimum wage because it's good for kids in the 600 economists are saying it's good for the economy and so much will help our veterans in 1490 kids what is the argument over there against that? i have not heard an argument yet that says they have a strategy on the other side of this debate that will help 50 million point 3 million women that will directly help 14 million children and will help a million veterans and boost our economy and top of it. i would be for this even if there was a boost for the economy because you can help people individually but that's an added reason to be supportive of this. so this is long overdue. long overdue. we shouldn't be having this debate every five or six or

eight years. we should raise the minimum wage appropriately to a reasonable number that makes sense and then index it so we can take this issue off the table. it would increase appropriately as it should over time. if we did that in the 60s or 70's the minimum wage would be not just higher than it is todae than $10.50 an hour or something higher than that. so if you are unalterably opposed to raising the minimum wage i would hope, but hope you would have a strategy to make sure that 14 million kids are benefiting by your action, by your bill not over 20 years but by some other legislative vehicle and you should have a strategy to make sure 1 million veterans have some measure of economic security they don't have now and he should be able to answer what they american academy of pediatrics said is good for children. if you can answer those kinds of

questions that i would love to take a look at your bill but if you can't you have got some explaining to do. madam president i will yield the floor and note the absence of a quorum. >> with the senator withhold? >> i will. >> madam president. thank you. i want to thank my colleague for his words on the minimum wage. very, very important points raised in terms of that letter from those economists and the american pediatric association which adds wonderfully to the debate. i rise today madam president to support like my colleague from pennsylvania and the increase in the federal minimum wage. i'm a proud co-sponsor of the minimum wage fairness act which

would give 16.5 million americans a much deserved raise. i'm incredibly proud of the important step that minnesota took to raise the minimum wage earlier this week. just a few weeks ago or earlier this month, a few weeks ago the governor and the minnesota state legislature took this big step for workers and families and because of this hundreds of thousands of hard-working minnesotans will themselves receive a raise. this is a big deal. before this increase minnesota's state minimum wage was actually lower than the federal minimum wage. i would like to talk a little bit about why minnesota has taken this important step. minnesotans believe that if you work full time, 52 weeks a year you should be able to put food on the table and a roof over your family's head.

they believe if you work hard in america you should have a chance to work your way up into the middle class. as i have traveled around minnesota i've heard from people all over the state who have been working long long hours and yet struggle to support their families, to work their way to the middle class and provide a brighter future for their children. as a state we recognized that there, there were too many people working really hard at one, two, sometimes three jobs and we are still struggling to get by. parents have been wondering how they are going to be a will to pay for their kids college or even how to make the next car payment. instead they have been working 60 hour weeks and missing out on spending precious time with their children. that is why i am proud that minnesota has now joined 21

other states with minimum wages higher than the federal minimum. in washington i'm going to keep doing my part to help minnesota workers. recent research confirms that what we see in minnesota is happening across america and did a survey last year of workers earning less than $10 an hour two-thirds of these workers said they are not meeting or are just meeting their basic living expenses. two-thirds of these workers report meeting public assistanc. two in five said they can't afford additional education or training. with wages too low these workers are trapped. they are trapped in poverty. now the economy is getting better but raising the minimum wage is about doing everything we can to make sure it gets better for everyone.

last year and nations largest businesses saw a record profits. the market finished the last year up over 26%, its best returns since the 1990s. raising the minimum wage is about making sure the minnesotans and workers across the country it to be a part of this improving economy. that is why minnesota has taken this important step. we know that a strong minimum wage and a strong middle-class go hand-in-hand. that is why support raising the federal minimum wage to a level that allows people to work their way to a better life, work their way to a better life. for decades the federal minimum wage has lost its value. if the federal minimum wage had kept pace with inflation since its peak value in the 1960s,

today it would be worth over $10.50 an hour. today the federal minimum wage is just $7.25 an hour. so when families have had to pay more for food and rent and utilities, childcare and education, the minimum wage not only hasn't kept up, it's gone down. and it's not just minimum wage workers who haven't seen an increase in wages. since the 1970s we have seen worker productivity grow by 135% while the average wages for middle-class workers have not changed. americans are working harder than ever but average wages are stuck and the minimum wage actually has been declining.

now let me tell you about but the minimum, raising the minimum wage would mean to one minnesotans. she is the mother of two and works at the airport as a cleaner, where she makes a low wage. because she couldn't make ends meet she had to take a second job assisting passengers in wheelchairs who need help. she has been doing this for four years. during that time she has received only one raise worth just 80 cents an hour. she doesn't get vacation days or six days or time off with her children. she wants to help her children finish things for

themselves? now, i don't believe that raising the minimum wage is going to solve all the problems that working families face today. they need more than a minimum wage. they need good jobs and good schools and good roads to provide a better future for themselves and for their children. but i support raising the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour because it's a wage that says americans value work.

it's a minimum guarantee that anyone who shows up 40 hours a anyone who shows up 40 hours a it's a minimum guarantee that anyone should who shows up 40 hours a week ready to work should be able to provide food and shelter and should not live in poverty. other people say that we don't need to raise the minimum wage because it's not working for families who earn minimum wage. this is mainly teenagers and first job to earn the minimum wage. in fact the vast majority of workers who would get a raise under this bill are working adults, working adults including approximately 350,000 adults in minnesota. one quarter of parents including over 85,000 parents in our stata raise from the bill we are

considering and parents of 14 million children. an estimated 150 of them in minnesota. these are kids the american pediatric association says do this. these are kids who you know -- we know that kids who have deprivation, have trauma. there are different kinds of deprivation and we know it makes it harder for them to learn. it changes their brain chemistry to be under that much stress. so let's do it for these kids. the majority, 56% of minnesotans who would be affected by an increase or women.

nationwide one in five working mothers would see a raise under this bill, one in five working mothers. and 6.8 million workers and their families would be lifted out of poverty. raising the minimum wage is good for working families and it's good for the economy. it was economic activity and helps local businesses. a study from the federal reserve bank of chicago found increasing the federal minimum wage tends $10 an hour could boost gdp by up to .3 percentage points. a recent analysis of state employment data goldman sachs noted that based on their analysis of states that increased their minimum wage at the start of 2014, employment impact if any from a higher federal minimum wage would be small relative to the normal volatility in the market.

the higher minimum wage, i would ask the chair for about two minutes for a minute and a half. >> is there objection? without objection. >> well in that case, two minutes. okay. higher minimum wage also helps our economy because increasing the minimum wage boost the urges in power of consumers and creates more customers for local businesses. people earning minimum wage spend the money they are earning the economic policy institute estimates that the increased economic activity would increase from $10.10 minimum wage could create 85,000 new jobs and boost gdp by $22.2 billion over the three years of implementation. increasing the minimum wage helps businesses in another way too. workers who are better paid are also more productive and less likely to quit.

that means businesses save on recruiting and training costs. it also means they have better more loyal and hard-working employees. businesses in minnesota understand this. a few months ago i spoke with danny schwartz the owner of common roots café and catering in minneapolis. danny pays his employees a minimum of $11 an hour plus benefits like paid time off and health insurance. danny has written quote overtime of the businesses will see what i have seen that paying people more yields more for the bottom line. it's easier to recruit and retain people. happier employees are more likely to provide better customer service. lower turnover means dramatically lower training costs and better employee performance unquote. danny understands that this business will do better if his workers are doing better. it's time that congress follow minnesota's example. the minimum wage is about making sure the work pays and is about

the american dream. if you work hard and take responsibility you can put a roof over your head or buy a decent life for your children and help them get ready for the future. it's been too long since the federal minimum wage cap that promise to america's workers and their children and that is why we need to raise it today. i thank the chair, madam president thank you. >> madam president. >> the senator from massachusetts. >> madam president i am proud to stand here today in support of raising the minimum wage. no person in america should work full-time and not earn enough to be above the poverty level. the poverty level in the united states in 2014 is about $23,000 for a family of four. today, if someone works the

minimum wage for 40 hours a week they are still in poverty and no one should work 40 hours a week and be given a salary but does not lift them and their families up and out of poverty. that is just absolutely wrong. millions of people in our country have been trying to climb into them in -- middle-class but no matter how hard they work they are stuck in the same place. and in america it's that they nearly half of those whose families are in the bottom fifth of income earners will stay there as adults. tens of millions of americans labored tirelessly for years to scale the economic ladder but they can never get off the ground. that is unacceptable. it is immoral and that needs to change. raising the minimum wage is a first step to fight income inequality in our country. we must help restore the dignity

and the value of work and help millions of families escape already by increasing the national minimum wage. today more than 46 million americans are living in poverty. the average american household made less in 2012 than it did in 1989. that is wrong. it is just plain wrong. over these last 20 years the top 1% of wage earners in america have seen their incomes skyrocket by 86%. in the years ahead is going to get worse for those that make the minimum wage. over the next five years the real value of the minimum wage is projected to decline by 10% over $1400 of purchasing power for a full-time worker unless we increase the minimum wage. and what does that mean? it means americans will be able to buy less if we don't do it and it will be harder to families to get by.

.. get richer, and the poor get poorer. that's the system that we have right now, unless we take action to make sure that those who earn the minimum wage are keeping pace with what it takes to buy the food, to pay the rent, to pay for the schools for the children in their families. if we don't do that, they just get poorer and poorer while continuing to work 40 hours a week. we know that low-income americans who would benefit from raising the minimum wage, that they're not the only ones. hundreds of small businesses in my home state of massachusetts have signed on to a petition for a fair minimum wage of $10.50 per hour.

that petition says raising minimum wage makes good business sense. that same small business petition says, workers are also customers. they're right. increasing the purchasing power of minimum-wage workers helps stimulate the economy. research has shown time and time again that minimum-wage workers ivein that minimum-wage workers >> you low-wage workers helps to stimulate the economy. and research has shown time ande time again that they spend the additional income they receive one a minimum wage is increased. if we increase this to $10.10 per hour, 28 million workers will leave about $25 billion in additional raising this does not cause job losses. in most need the income to make ends meet and it goes right into the economy. until economists believe that it will actually boost the economy by creating about 8000 new jobs

and increasing economic activity by about $22 billion. and that means everyone should be on board. and we really need to to increase the minimum wage so that we give america that raise which it needs for those who are working so hard for our economy. i yield back the balance of my time. the presiding officer: morning business ised. under the previous order, the time until 12:00 noon will be equally divided and controlled between the two leaders or their designees. mr. cornyn: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator whip. mr. cornyn: madam president, i think people listening to the debate on the minimum wage issue

may be a little bit confused, may be a little bit confused, >> i think people listening to the debate on the when wage issue may be a little bit dnfused because we all want to see hard-working american families work their way toward the american dream and we will be able to do that by the federal government setting wages and i have no objection, then that is their choice. and what they are now asking is for the federal government and that's not just me talking. that is the congressional budget office, which is the official scorecard for the united states congress. so if you think about it, if you

are a small business and or biggest expense is wages for the people who work there, if the federal government comes in and says forget about your local conditions in the photo or texas, we are going to say that from washington dc that everyone has to raise wages by 40%. and this includes absorbing the 40% increase in their overhead. when the economy is doing great. and i guess he must've missed the latest report on the first

quarter of 2014. because of the bad weather we had an reasonably cold first quarter and the economy grew at .1% and almost went into what would be a negative growth or a recession. and my point is that this strong growth that he is talking about in the economy is a figment. and i wonder sometimes why public opinion, actually i don't wonder why. my conclusion is that they think they are out of touch. we are out of touch with regular and there are people who are working hard to make ends meet

and get the kids ready for school and to live their version of the american dream. and this is the latest statistic that i saw. many think that america is on the right track. and that is shocking to me. so 73% think that we are on the wrong track. so the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome. let's not do the same thing over and over again. let's keep america on the right track and engage in a policy decision here on this it will actually hurt more people than it helps.

there was a poll that came out yesterday that say that once it's understood, 50% said it's not worth it. and it is nice and would be great if we live in a world where washington can dictate what wages will be peace love and happiness will break out. and it didn't come from someone's pocket and it's not just public opinion economic

advisers, they just let this administration, the obama in this nation. when a similar proposal was being made. in that time 41%, now the harkin bill that we are going to raising the minimum wage 40%. and so for all practical purposes this is what the sterling wrote. and we are concerned that senator teddy kennedy kennedy's proposal back in 98 could prove

damaging. damaging to the employment of low skilled workers. and again, that is what the cbo has said about this bill. and he goes on to say as well as to the general macroeconomic performance of the economy. so what are our friends across the out proposing that we do when the economy grew at 1.1% and we have this anemic and economic growth. and that is, again, not just my opinion. this is a job you all over again and i guess if you are around washington long enough you will see this movie replayed over and over again.

and the economy is growing too slowly in the number of people is the lowest it's been for the last years area the so-called labor participation rate. so what did president clinton do when his economic advisers said don't do it, mr. president? perhaps it is good politics, it will hurt the economy and it will put people out of work. and president clinton, to his credit decided not to pursue that particular 41% increase in minimum wage. but i mention that is a sad contrast with the current situation. president obama, seeing his favorability ratings of the lowest they have been since he became president is trying to change the object.

we all know that a massive minimum wage increase can be a job killer. and they want to ignore the congressional budget report. and they want us to believe that they will have little or no effect and maybe would have a positive effect and this

includes america's businesses being no better and they started washing dishes and they started at the bottom and work their way up because they could find a job and they could get their hand on the first rung of the economic ladder. and they understand how businesses work and they understand the negative consequences of this bad policy coming from washington dc. just ask robert mayfield, from austin, texas, where i live.

he's been in business for 35 years now. and he is pretty successful. and they have to pay the fine their income. and it will cost people jobs. and what is most devastating is the cost go up in for a business, that is what wages are. it's a cost of doing business. and as a business owner have to raise prices. and if you think you can pay someone $10.10 an hour to work at mcdonald's and will have no

cost impact on your big macs or not you are living in a fantasy world. and that is what mr. mayfield says. and he says that i have to raise prices if this happens, and what makes it worse is obamacare is hanging over her head. and i heard this again from a friend of mine from san antonio. a gentleman whose family is running restaurants for many years. he said the combination of obamacare and now this proposal

and wage increase -- i'll tell you exactly what he told me. and if congress lets the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour, we will have no choice but to replace that. and this includes knowledge or awareness of what the consequences might be. i'm not suggesting to any of our friends who are advocating this increase. we want but that single mom out of work.

and we are counting the folks that actually do the work and this is a bad idea in terms of the economy. and we recently signed expressing their opposition to this 40% minimum wage hike. threatening this delicate balance, that is what robert mayfield says.

and we may have to lay some people are our closest business altogether. and so when so many economists and folks who are working across america are telling us the same thing, the truth is it makes perfect common sense. it would be the height of arrogance for us to it more their concerns. but that is a president obama and the majority leader asking us to do here today. and i fully share and have made this point from the beginning. i share the concern about the stagnant wages that are being earned by american workers all across america. since the so-called economic recovery. it was after the recession of 2008 and after the obama

economic recovery started kicking and in june of 2009. the median household income has gone down by $1800. and so i understand and i find it almost a little depressing that congress is only answer to that is to raise a 40% minimum wage, which will put people out of work and shut down small businesses when there is a lot better ways for us to address it. and it will not create jobs, but it will do the opposite. and the truth is that we read this a couple of weeks ago. we all know what is happening here.

and the truth is that they don't expect this bill to pass. because they are actually very intelligent people. and they know the facts that they have just described him here on the floor of the senate. and trying to rescue this midterm election coming up in november because they see the president's approval rating going down and the number of midterm races for the senate and play in a have to do something. obamacare didn't work out. you can't keep what you have a few like it. your premiums didn't go down if you're an average family for an outcome he cannot keep your doctor. too many cases under the health insurance exchanges. so they are desperate. and so we know from reporting in

"the new york times" and elsewhere that this minimum wage bill and this showboat that we are going to have her shortly is part of a larger messaging package created in collaboration with eight democratic senatorial campaign committee. that is so that is not me talking, that is be admission in this is not about solving a problem but political theater courtesy of the majority leader, harry reid. and this includes that we have this type of partisan gamesmanship. the numbers are very troubling. and many of them are still unemployed come including 3.7 million on employed more

than six months. with an additional 4.7 million people working part-time because they can't find old-time work or because of obamacare in order to avoid the employer penalties. so it is true and the hard-working american family, they need some held. at this time to supposedly solve the problem make things worse. and if they would work with us and leave us by the wayside and they would focus on trying to work with does to engage in solutions that would help to grow the economy and reduce

unemployment, and raise wages across the nation, then we would gladly embrace that. and we have introduced a number of bills that would do exactly that. i noted distinguished senator who has presided from an energy producing state. and they don't necessarily qualify for those jobs. so i have been there recently at the community college there and the welder can make $100,000 or more a year. and one thing we could do that

would be more constructive than this kind of showboat and partisan gamesmanship would be to improve our workforce training programs. the pell grant program. to try to figure out ways in order to qualify for these good high paying jobs are being created by this or i'll were sounds of american energy and we could prove the keystone xl pipeline that makes a lot of sense. creating about 42,000 jobs that would make this a safe source of energy. and we could do something constructive.

and they have to build it to do exactly that. so unfortunately, madam president, while i am monogamous monogamist of person, i'm not particularly optimistic about the majority. so that is why, but that is why this and rather than one that would create jobs. and so what i would like to do is ask unanimous consent that several letters that have been provided to us by the american

hotel and lodging association. and i would ask unanimous consent to make part of the record a column by michael saltzman and this is the source for the information in this memo that he wrote to president clinton. >> president, i yield the floor.

>> the senator from maryland. >> thank you, madam president. and if a business idea buys this and goes to the restaurants to keep our economy going, time and time again we have asked to proceed on legislation that would allow us to help a growing middle class. this is not our first effort with minimum wage. many states have passed increases in minimum wage. it's time for federal government do the same. in order to help a growing middle class. and we sought to have a fair shot for women in the work

rates. so they don't have to work extra time to make the same income. this includes the debate on the minimum wage. our friend from texas talked about before voltaire at. we are proud that the affordable care act is a fair shot for all americans have access to quality and portable health care. millions of americans today have quality health insurance coverage. it is working. and we know that insurance companies can't discriminate

based upon pre-existing conditions. those days are over. including access for all americans. we know that small business owners can choose lots of different types of plans. in order to be treated with equality in regards to the insurance marketplace and we have done that and we have expanded medicare and closing that coverage gap known as the donor hall. no longer does because we have wanted a fair shot for our seniors. and we support affordable higher education and texas takes issues

in this and there is a reason for them and this includes 2 million americans that are lifted out of poverty. and you can't support your family on the minimum wage.

let me just dispel some of the rumors that are out there. and this increase will basically get us back to where we were in 1968. and we have heard that this will kill the jobs. it doesn't do this. look at the history and what is happening with the previous increases of minimum wage.

and i would urge my colleagues to vote proceed on this way. and let's give america a fair shot and i urge my colleagues for their support of the motion to proceed. and with that, i yield the floor. and i commend this issue from a small business owner and an employer that once worked for the minimum wage.

and that includes eventually i got a schooling and the skills and the workout back to own my own business. my colleagues gloss over the fact that minimum wage is for entry-level employees and unskilled workers. people new to the workforce for those who earn minimum wage because it's their first job or opportunity to gain career skills where they never did get career skills and this is evidenced by the fact that the majority of minimum wage earners are between the ages of 16 and 24. these are the jobs where workers want to be dependable and how to work with other employees.

and this is why two thirds who started the minimum wage earning more than the minimum wage within a year. they learn how to do those things and they pick up skills. and then six months on a supervisor making a lot more than their other people in

mcdonald's that used to work for him. they all started at a minimum wage. and so you have to start somewhere. a lot of people think when you graduate from college is as you move into an executive position. chances are you'll start at the bottom of the company. and if you do your work well and learn the skills and become dependable, you'll work your way up and you'll make more money. more troubling are the claims of my colleagues are making to justify this particular increase of the federal wage by nearly 40%, representing an arbitrary and unprecedented increase, which is largely unsupported by economic analysis, both in the health education and pension committee and on the senate floor, advocates of the bill have the clear that an increase to $10.10 an hour would restore the minimum wage to the purchasing power than it had in

1968. and they make this claim because they use the consumer price index to justify their point of view. what they are doing is starting an inflation cycle. if someone is making $7 and they give up to $10 from the person that is working for you for $9, and the person at $11 has to go to $14 and so on. and you can't put the new guy on with no skills at a wage higher than the people who were there before. so everyone gets a pay raise. and that is wonderful. but then it goes all the way up the ladder. it doesn't just stop at the 14-dollar level. the seniors cost of living is based on this. and everyone in america is going to get a raise. and that is wonderful. and here is the catch. in order to pay for the raises

the money has to come from somewhere. so if you like the dollar deal at your fast food, get ready for $1.50 for fast food. so 1 dollar and 50 cents sounds better than $1.40. so they are going to have to raise it to the next level where they can pick up the customers work in sound good. and so just coming to the 30% increase in the cost of what you buy goes up by 30%. so the on only one that gains and that is the federal government. you move into a higher tax record enough for we raise taxes in america. we give people more money. make them pay more taxes or it and all they get to buy is what they bought before. and so that purchasing power will go up to the purchasing power of 2009 and beyond. because the prices will have to go up.

and this includes the proposed plan that would result in the loss of a half million jobs. the minimum wage does not need to go up to get a whoop raise. and it adds to the burdens that businesses are already facing under the president's failed health care program. instead, the senate should be considering proposals which promote job growth. workforce investment has been out there for eight years and it would turn millions of people to jobs available in their community right now. giving them tells beyond minimum wage and that is considered tax reform. approving the keystone xl pipeline. as several of my colleagues and i have highlighted. let me speak on a personal level about minimum wage. i have voted many times about this on business owner and my wife and i operated stores them wyoming and montana.

many have their own in the family that works with them. one cannot credibly claim to help the workers let the same time for the businesses that employ them, especially helping working families. especially some of them but had never run a cash register or sold anything in the not sure how you dress in the business community. we put them through courses. each course resulted in a pay raise. and for several people after several months, they were actually able to earn what they were paid. and this includes how congress can shut this on the very individuals that are trying to help. they are the driver of our

economy. an increase in minimum wage is of no benefit to a worker. and it also starts an inflation cycle and some people get a wage increase. and prices have to go up. it will make more, but they have to spend more. so they actually don't get ahead.

and the effect may be low wages, but the cause is low skills. we need to address those workers compete for a better job and better wages and we need to start thinking in terms of skills that will help students him and how our current workforce to pursue higher paying jobs. and those without a job will become self-sustaining. in this includes higher taxes and fewer jobs.

>> the senator from colorado. i first want to say to my college that we disagree on this issue and i agree wholeheartedly about the importance of training people for this 21st century economy. and i've enjoyed working with them so much on the committee. i have nine requests and they had the approval in the majority and minority leaders of the senate. and i ask consent that these requests view agreed to in that these requests be printed in the record. >> without objection. >> thank you, matt impressed. i'm on the floor today to talk about the minimum wage bill that is before us this week. and once again i have the opportunity to say that washington did these absolutely do coupled with the conversations people are having in colorado.

and they will keep us from voting on a bill. but the vast majority of americans support weather at eight democrats or republicans or independents. the worker in this country with a spouse and two kids, a family of four depending on a single

minimum wage paycheck, is in deep trouble. they are not just below the minimum wage, but emily that makes this, they make two thirds of the poverty level. a breadwinner and a family of four working at minimum wage is more than $8000 below the poverty line. in that family with a full breadwinner is impoverished in the united states of america to the tune of $8000. so if you have a family that depends on you to the roof over their heads and put food on the table, that's not enough to get by or even close. it may be people that have a hard time understanding what it would be like to live on

$15,000. let's think a little bit about what that family is like and what their life is like. the united states department of agriculture says that even under the cheapest plan possible, the thrifty is plan possible, cutting every single corner, spending as little as can be spent, it cost over $75,000 a year to feed a family of or people with growing children. $7000 under the most difficult circumstances possible. and that includes every other cost and how to cover it.

but we would have to squeeze into a rental unit well under half that cost them this includes the other things and a family like the one i just described. federal and local government just to get by.

in this includes the minimum wage job today it needs thousands of dollars to support their families. that's what we want in america. and there's nowhere else they can do this in america. democratic, republican congresses that will come over the have found ways of doing it.

and it is adjusted in inflation dollars. the 7000-dollar gap, which makes a huge difference to a family of four that we just considered trying to survive on minimum wage. in 1968, a minimum wage kept a family of three out of poverty. that is what the congress did in 1968. if you work 40 hours a week, your family should live outside of poverty. above the poverty line. a full-time worker with two children was 20% above the poverty line. today, that same family is 19% below the poverty line because

the minimum wage has not kept pace with inflation. and today it is just 36%. at the same time even when you count for can't for inflation, college costs are three times what they were four decades ago. it's no wonder that working families feel like they are working harder than ever before but falling further behind. what we are talking about today, that build an is on the floor reaches the minimum wage by 39% to $10.10 per hour. and since people earning this will no longer be living in

poverty. and considering what this bill does and the supplemental nutrition assistance program, the food stamps is what that is. the reason the house of representatives held up the farm bill for so long was over the issue of food stamps. so as we think about what we are doing here, i think it is a warning to keep that in content and this is a program that millions of low-income families depend upon in order to eat. this wage bill would reduce that by over 7.5%. because people would not be making a living with this wage as a result. that's 3.1 million americans who would no longer have to depend on the program to feed their kids. so if you're voting for this, you're voting to reduce the rules on food stamps by 3 million americans. it's not a virtue that we have those 2 million americans in

this country. we've saved for $6 billion on this bill if we passed it. and it applies to other programs as well. two thirds of americans who earn under $10 per hour use public assistance and some form. two thirds. and so working families, americans who actually have a job or working 40 hours a week, costing the government about $243 million per year through programs. raising the minimum wage makes them less dependent on these programs to support their families. so there are compelling reasons to raise the minimum wage and there's a compelling reason why all of the survey show that the american people, no matter what party they are in, they think that we ought to raise the minimum wage. yet in a few hours if nothing changes, a minority amount of

senators will not come to the floor to vote on this. that will use their powers in the senate to block a vote. to block an honest up-and-down vote about whether we ought to raise the minimum wage in this country that they don't even want us to have a proper debate on this bill, much less passive. so what are they trying to do that we can even have this up or down vote? is this unprecedented? is what we are talking about unknown in the annals of the united states senate? is it actually part of this? can summon wage was enacted in the 1930s we have managed to raise it on 10 different occasions in 70 years. we have raised it very routinely to try to keep pace with inflation. and we have done it many times. democratic congresses have raised the minimum wage and republican congresses.

and they have signed minimum wage laws and law. president eisenhower signed a 33% increase in the minimum wage of 1955 and president nixon signed a 44% and wage increase in 1974. in 1996 a republican told congress that they enacted this increase which president clinton signed into law was recently in 2007, president george w. bush signed a 41% increase as well. you can see on this chart, madam president, you can see on this chart all the different kinds of times that the minimum wage has been raged and how much. the average increase has been

about 41%. and so that is below average. that is below average. but some people talking, it is unconstitutional. and many of them felt that they could commit suicide and this makes no sense. it is at war with our history and i see that her colleagues are here and ask and beg them as they are not allowing two had this, whether american people allow us to have that vote or not. with that, you'll the floor and i thank you, madam president. >> the senator from louisiana. >> thank you, madam president. i believe i have 38 seconds left to asked for consent for an

additional 60 seconds. >> is there objection? >> for an additional 60 seconds, we have 38 seconds remaining. >> without objection. >> madam president, i come to the floor simply to bring up what i consider a very important issue which was never voted on. that is the basic principle that washington should be treated with all other laws that we pass including obamacare or it specifically i have my proposal regarding obamacare. including following the amendment to the bill.

and senator reid agreed to vote on the amendment in the context of that bill. senator portman agreed this concept. same time, september 18 on the senate floor. and senator shaheen on september 18. so i'm refiling it as an amendment to the same bill and i look forward to this important debate and vote and not a lee a stand-alone vote, i look forward to coming back to the floor. >> thank you, madam president. >> the senator from new york. we believe that every american that works 40 hours a week

deserves a fair shot at getting out of poverty. and that doesn't happen. you can work hard with pride as americans do and work that 40 hours and that is basically part of what america is all about because america says to everybody that you work hard and you can provide a decent life for you and your family. and since the minimum wage has stagnated, that doesn't happen. since 1968 the minimum wage has failed to keep up with inflation and lost a third of its value. that is not a fair shot for americans. a full-time minimum-wage worker makes only about $13,000 per year. not a fair shot for americans. it is wrong and it flies in the face of the american dream. been president, we each get one guest. and i brought a young woman that

scrubs toilets and floors from 10 at night until six in the morning. and after the overnight shift, she takes her $2 to school for children. only then is she able to get home and take care of her household. and it's not enough. so when we talk to her, she's a beautiful woman. she's not angry. but do you know what raising the wage would do to her? eighty dollars per week? it would allow her to provide her children the barest necessities when kids can't get close and he sent me on when they are not in school. and they can't get any toys for christmas.

working at six in the morning, getting back on the bus, then finding more and she can't make enough money to get out of poverty. what kind of country is this? and so it is hard to believe with the economics and the moral issue that we are able to let this come to a debate from the other side of the aisle. we know what raising the minimum wage will do. to the millions of those, it gives them a life of dignity and their children a little bit more of the basic necessities and it pumps money into the economy. and i would bet that most americans with day that even if it cost me a little bit more, a nickel more on my hamburger, to

give people like them a decent living, most americans would say that is fair. and here are her colleagues, back in the 19th century saying that we shouldn't do this. it's hard to believe. when you think of the 1890s in and the 1930s and how people struggle to get a decent life, the beauty of the 40s and 50s in the 60s and 70s and 80s. .. represent, it's flickering out and here we have a chance to at least have it lit up a little more, we say no, what is going on in america? so our colleagues are saying the economy isn't growing as fast as it should yet they don't want to pump money into the economy. our bill is a win-win. 73% of all americans, a

majority of republicans, support a $10.10 wage increase. tim pawlenty, former governor tim pawlenty, former governor the former governor of minnesota told his colleagues support the wage. when you have a few small interest groups holding as back, shame. so i would urge my republican colleagues to look at our economy and let them look into their hearts. i am confident that if they did that there would have a change of heart and let us bring this and let us pass this bill. and will serve one thing, madam president, if we don't succeed this time, we believe strongly in a fair shot for everybody, including those who are paid minimum wage and work hard and long. we will bring this this bill to the floor again and again and again. just like unemployment