Madam Speaker, I rise today as a proud cosponsor of the Fair Minimum Wage Act (H.R.2).  This bill will bring a long-overdue measure of fairness to the paychecks of millions of hardworking Americans.

We have now reached the longest period of time without an increase in the federal minimum wage since its creation in 1938.  While the minimum wage remains stagnant, the cost of living for countless Americans continues to skyrocket.

In my home state of Rhode Island, the average two-bedroom apartment costs over $1,147 per month.  As a result, many people would need to obtain more than three full-time, minimum wage jobs just to afford a decent home, and that does not take into account other critical living expenses like food and medicine.  This is an unacceptable reality that millions of hardworking Americans continue to face.

Raising the minimum wage is a critical first step in Congress’s efforts to strengthen the economic security of our nation’s families.  The Fair Minimum Wage Act will increase the federal minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 incrementally over a two-year period. 

Americans who work hard to make an honest living should not be forced to live in poverty, and by passing the Fair Minimum Wage Act, we will help ensure that all Americans have the ability to provide for their families and prosper.  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the Fair Minimum Wage Act.

Thank you Madam Speaker.