Statement on House of Representatives Action on Minimum Wage Legislation

I commend the House for responding to my challenge and voting to give millions of America's hardest workers a raise.

A bipartisan majority rejected the efforts of the Republican leadership and recognized that raising the minimum wage is the right thing to do. You can't raise a family on $4.25 an hour.

I am also pleased that the House rejected an effort to defraud the American people with a provision that would have eliminated the minimum wage altogether, as well as overtime protections, for workers hired at fully two-thirds of American businesses. For millions of American workers, this hoax would actually have meant lower wages and even a return to sweatshop conditions.

Senator Dole should bring the minimum wage to the Senate floor for a clean up-or-down vote before he leaves office. That is the way to honor our values of work, family, opportunity, and responsibility.