House Republicans: Will They Walk the Walk on the Minimum Wage?

by Tula Connell, Sep 26, 2006

With only days left before they adjourn, members of Congress have an opportunity to pass a real minimum wage bill.

But will they?

Specifically, there are 48 House Republicans who in July signed a letter asking their leadership to schedule a vote on the minimum wage. Did they mean it, or was it just talk?

They could force their leaders to hold the vote if they really wanted—now, before they all leave Washington to campaign.

Four Democrats—House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (Md.), George Miller (Calif.), ranking Democrat on the Education and Workforce Committee, and Reps. Leonard Boswell (Iowa) and John Barrow (Ga.)—sent a letter today to the 48 representatives urging them to “stop this charade” on minimum wage. In short, the letter states:

[Y]ou have the ability to take action on this important issue by signing the discharge petition that would force consideration of H.R. 2429.  H.R. 2429 would raise the minimum wage from $5.15 per hour to $7.25 per hour over two years.

(Click here to read the letter.)

Minimum wage workers haven’t seen a raise since 1997. Meanwhile, Congress has voted itself nine pay hikes, totaling more than $30,000 per year. Some 88 percent of the public say they favor raising the federal minimum wage, according to an April poll by the Pew Charitable Trusts.

If your representative is one of the 48 who may think like 88 percent of the rest of us, but is afraid to take a stand, click here and tell him or her to get real—sign the discharge petition to force a clean vote on a minimum wage increase before the House recesses to campaign.

Check the list below and click here to send a message to your representative if he or she is on the list (with state and congressional district):

1. Michael Bilirakis (FL-9)

2. Sherwood Boehlert (NY-24)

3. Shelley Moore Capito (WV-2)

4. Michael Castle (DE-At Large)

5. Geoff Davis (KY-4)

6. Charles Dent (PA-15)

7. Jo Ann Emerson (MO-8)

8. Phillip English (PA-3)

9. Michael Ferguson (NJ-7)

10. Mike Fitzpatrick (PA-8)

11. Mark Foley (FL-16)

12. Paul Gillmor (OH-5)

13. Gil Gutknecht (MN-1)

14. David Hobson (OH-7)

15. Nancy Johnson (CT-5)

16. Timothy Johnson (IL-15)

17. Sue W. Kelly (NY-19)

18. Peter King (NY-3)

19. Randy Kuhl (NY-29)

20. Ray LaHood (IL-18)

21. Steven LaTourette (OH-14)

22. Jim Leach (Iowa-2)

23. Ron Lewis (KY-2)

24. Frank LoBiondo (NJ-2)

25. John McHugh (NY-23)

26. Candice Miller (MI-10)

27. Timothy Murphy (PA-18)

28. Bob Ney (OH-18)

29. John Peterson (PA-5)
30. Ted Poe (TX-2)
31. Jim Ramstad (MN-3)
32. Jim Saxton (NJ-3)
33. Joe Schwartz (MI-7)
34. Christopher Shays (CT-4)
35. Don Sherwood (PA-10)
36. Robert Simmons (CT-2)
37. Mike Simpson (ID-2)
38. Christopher Smith (NJ-4)
39. John Sweeney (NY-20)
40. Patrick Tiberi (OH-12)
41. Fred Upton (MI-6)
42. James Walsh (NY-25)
43. Curt Weldon (PA-7)
44. Jerry Weller (IL-11)
45. Heather Wilson (NM-1)
46. Frank Wolf (VA-10)
47. Bill Young (FL-10)
48. Don Young (AK-At Large)

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