(Washington D.C.)- In an act of support for working Americans, Congressman Russ Carnahan (MO-3) voted in support of H.R. 2, the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007.  Carnahan was an original cosponsor of this bill, which increases the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 an hour over two years. Increasing the minimum wage to $7.25 per hour would bring a pay raise for up to 13 million Americans.

Raising the minimum wage would provide an additional $4,400/year for a family of three, equaling 15 months of groceries, or over two years of health care, helping them to keep up with rising costs.

Nearly 13 million people would likely benefit from the increase - 5.6 million directly and 7.4 million indirectly. This includes 7.7 million women, 3.4 million parents, and 4.7 million people of color.

The following are highlights of key provisions of the bill:

60 days after the legislation is enacted, the minimum wage would increase to $5.85.  One year later it would go up to $6.55 per hour.  And another year later the minimum wage would increase to $7.25 an hour.
The measure also extends federal minimum wage coverage to workers in the Northern Marianas.

"After almost 10 years of inaction on this issue, Congress has finally come together in a bipartisan manner to raise the standard of living for millions of Americans.  I am proud to be a part of this historic legislation as the people's house has begun to work for the people again. "

-Congressman Russ Carnahan, MO-3

(####)