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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release May 22, 1996

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT ON THE MINIMUM WAGE

An increase in the minimum wage would honor our values: work, family, responsibility, and opportunity. You cannot raise a family on $4.25 an hour. Over the years, both parties have worked together to ensure that the minimum wage keeps up with the cost of living. To continue that commitment to working families, I have challenged Congress to raise the minimum wage by 90 cents. It is clear that a bipartisan majority of the House of Representatives stands ready to pass this increase.

But the House leadership is today proposing a giant fraud on the American people. Their legislation will eliminate the minimum wage for all workers hired by fully two-thirds of American businesses. I hope Senator Dole will join me in opposing this extreme measure. We must not tolerate sweatshops and a repeal of wage protections for millions of Americans, as a condition of assuring a living wage for some workers.

Let me be clear: Eliminating the minimum wage is no way to raise it. If Congress sends me a bill to eliminate the minimum wage and wage protection for millions of workers, I will veto it. Speaker Gingrich and Majority Leader Dole should allow an honest up-or-down vote on the minimum wage.

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