CÁRDENAS APPLAUDS MINIMUM WAGE HIKE FOR FEDERAL CONTRACTORS
CÁRDENAS APPLAUDS MINIMUM WAGE HIKE FOR FEDERAL CONTRACTORS
(Washington, DC) -- Prior to Tuesday’s Presidential State of the Union Address, U.S. Rep. Tony Cárdenas released a statement regarding the decision by President Obama to raise the minimum wage for federal contract workers.
The White House discussed the change Monday and President Obama is expected to announce the executive action, Tuesday night, in his speech to a joint session of the Congress.
“I applaud the President for ensuring that hardworking people, including janitors and construction workers, who strive to improve our nation, are paid more fairly,” said Cárdenas. “No one willing to put in an honest days’ effort, working for our government, should wonder if they will be able to pay for both a roof over their head and food for their family. This nation was created in the belief that all of us are created equal, and that we all deserve the chance to pursue happiness. For many in our nation, increasing the minimum wage will bring that pursuit much closer to reality.”
Cárdenas is an original co-sponsor of H.R. 1010, the Fair Minimum Wage Act, which would raise the federally-mandated minimum wage to $10.10 per hour. Cárdenas signed on to H.R. 1010 because the federal minimum wage has remained stagnant for seven years, failing to keep up with the cost of living and leaving working families to rely on government aid to make ends meet.
A Fiscal Policy Institute study found, states with higher minimum wages have “consistently better” economic indicators.
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