Hoyer: "Do-Nothing Republicans Intentionally Doomed Minimum Wage Increase"
WASHINGTON, DC – House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today regarding the failure of what he termed "the Do-Nothing Republican Congress" to raise the minimum wage before adjourning for the August recess:
“Republicans cynically linked an increase in the minimum wage to a virtual repeal of the estate tax, intending to give political cover to their most vulnerable Members while ensuring that no increase would be enacted and hoping to blame Democrats.
“This Do-Nothing Republican Congress has such misplaced priorities that they refuse to pass a minimum wage increase even though the overwhelming majority of the American people and bipartisan majorities in the House and Senate support it. Republicans point to small businesses to justify their unjustifiable opposition, but 86 percent of small business people say that an increase won’t affect them.
“Holding a pay increase for millions of Americans hostage for huge tax breaks for the wealthiest estates was a cynical game that left working families on the losing end once again. Americans are tired of the game playing and are looking for a change. Democrats will take our country in a new direction, including a fair increase in the minimum wage.”
Hoyer has been trying to get a bill passed with a minimum wage increase since June. When a bill finally was allowed to come to the floor in the House, it contained provisions for a reduction of the estate tax. The bill passed in the House and went to the Senate where it ultimately failed because of the estate tax "poison pill."
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