Statement on the New York Legislature's Passage of Legislation To Raise the Minimum Wage and Require Employers To Provide Paid Family Leave to Employees

I commend Governor Andrew Cuomo and the State of New York for taking the historic step of creating a paid family leave program in the State and raising its minimum wage to support New York's working families. This action means more parents won't have to choose between their job and caring for their new children. It means more workers can earn a higher wage to help make ends meet. Since I first called on Congress to increase the Federal minimum wage in 2013, 18 States and more than 40 cities and counties have acted on their own, thanks to the strong leadership of elected officials, businesses, and workers who organized and fought so hard for the economic security families deserve. Now Congress needs to act to raise the Federal minimum wage and expand access to paid leave for all Americans.