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McDermott Releases New Study Showing
Minimum Wage at Historic Low
For Immediate Release - July 11, 2005

House Democrat Leader Says McDermott Study is Call to Action

(Washington, D.C.) Congressman Jim McDermott (D-WA) today released the results of a new study  [PDF] conducted at his request by the independent and non-partisan Congressional Research Service that shows the minimum wage relative to poverty is at its lowest point in 47 years, nearly half a century.

McDermott is Ranking Democrat on the Human Resources Subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee.

"We've given raises to federal employees; we've given tax cuts to the extremely wealthy; we've given tax breaks to big oil and a host of other big industries, but we've ignored the needs and the plight of America's working poor; this study proves it and it's time to change that," McDermott said.

In releasing the study, which is attached, McDermott noted that is has been eight years since Congress last increased the minimum wage.

"It is inexcusable that today in America -- the richest and most powerful nation on earth -- nearly one fifth of all children go to bed hungry at night while their parents work full time at the minimum wage.

According to McDermott, in the past eight years Members of Congress will have raised their own pay seven times - by $28,500. In those same eight years minimum wage workers have not gotten a single raise-they continue to earn $10,700 a year.

Congressman George Miller (D-CA), Ranking Democrat on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce said, "The McDermott memo shows once again that hard working low wage workers need an increase in the minimum wage to pay for family basics of food, clothing and shelter; the failure of the Republican Congress to act on behalf of America's most vulnerable workers is shameful."

Tomorrow, July 12, the House is expected to consider four bills amending the Occupational Safety and Health Act - H.R. 739, H.R. 740, H.R 741, and H.R.742. Taken together, these Republican initiatives roll back workplace safety and health protections.

Miller said that 15 workers are killed every day as a result of occupational injuries, another 50,000 to 60,000 die every year due to occupational illnesses, and thousands more are injured or made ill on the job.

"These bills do absolutely nothing for American workers except to make them less safe," Miller said. "Republicans want to weaken worker safety and ignore strengthening families," Miller said. "That's a bankrupt policy."

"Whether you are a Democrat or a Republican, ending child poverty should be central to any domestic agenda," McDermott said. "America's future depends on its children and they depend upon us; we can't let them down."

Click here to read the Congressional Reaserch Service report "Historical Relationship Between the Minimum Wage and Poverty, 1959 to 2005."   [Adobe Reader®]