God knows how I got on the mailing list, but it's one of the few I don't mind -- Since Sliced Bread just sent out an email:
Big news... Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton just introduced a bill that would link Congressional pay increases to increases in the federal minimum wage. It would require that the federal minimum wage be increased by the same percentage amount as Congressional salaries every year.
...
Senator Clinton's bill will immediately raise minimum wage to more than $7 an hour, and provide automatic raises, just as Congress receives.
I did a quick bit of research, and found the bill, S. 2725. It's short and sweet, and reproduced in stunning HTML here:
S 2725 IS
109th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2725
To amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to provide for an increase in the Federal minimum wage and to ensure that increases in the Federal minimum wage keep pace with any pay adjustments for Members of Congress.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 4, 2006
Mrs. CLINTON (for herself, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. JEFFORDS, Mr. LEAHY, Mr. HARKIN, and Mr. OBAMA) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
<hr>
A BILL
To amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to provide for an increase in the Federal minimum wage and to ensure that increases in the Federal minimum wage keep pace with any pay adjustments for Members of Congress.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Standing with Minimum Wage Earners Act of 2006'.
SEC. 2. MINIMUM WAGE.
(a) In General- Section 6(a)(1) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 206(a)(1)) is amended to read as follows:
`(1)(A) except as otherwise provided in this section, not less than--
`(i) $5.85 an hour, beginning on the 60th day after the date of enactment of the Standing with Minimum Wage Earners Act of 2006;
`(ii) $6.55 an hour, beginning 12 months after that 60th day, adjusted for that year as provided for in subparagraph (B); and
`(iii) $7.25 an hour, beginning 24 months after that 60th day, adjusted each year as provided for in subparagraph (B); and
`(B) the wage provided for under clauses (ii) and (iii) of subparagraph (A) shall be automatically increased for the year involved by a percentage equal to the percentage by which the annual rate of pay for Members of Congress increased for such year as provided for pursuant to the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 (2 U.S.C. 31).'.
(b) Effective Date- The amendment made by subsection (a) shall take effect 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act.
My first though, "Good for her!" My second thought, "Wow, must be an election year!" My third thought, "..that's going to do something bad to the economy, somehow." My fourth was sort of an untypable grunt and my fifth was, "I need coffee, where are my pants?"
It should be noted that a few states already have minimum wages in place that exceed the Federal minimum wage, and Oregon ($7.50) and Washington ($7.63) are the only states that currently have a minimum wage that exceed Clinton's proposed wage. Alaska's wage, currently at $7.15, automatically adjusts to at least $1 above federal minimum wage. Some cities also have even higher minimum wages, such as Sante Fe ($9.50), all of which would not be affected dramatically by the sudden increase in wages. For a full list, check out the wikipedia.
What think you? Good, bad, evil? God I hate that bitch?