Recently in Missouri, voters voted on the state level to increase the minimum wage to $8.60 in 2019. The change in minimum wage will be gradually phased in, eventually reaching $12 in 2023. The people of Missouri spoke on this as was their right.
However, when the federal government comes in and tries to pass down a one-size-fits-all solution, for every single state - the outcome is often not so good.
This week, House Democrats passed a bill to mandate a one-size-fits-all federal minimum wage. This bill is yet another overreaching power grab from Washington. Missouri voters already decided to raise their minimum wage last year. Now the federal government believes it knows better than the states and wants to force its solution on all Americans. Unfortunately, this policy will:
-Cost up to 3.7 million jobs nationwide (CBO);
-Cause nearly half of families with a minimum wage earner to see a reduction in household income (CBO); and
-Cause Missouri to possibly lose over 48,000 jobs (Employment Policies Institute).
Additionally, this bill would decrease work choices for families of disabled individuals by phasing out sheltered workshops. Sheltered workshops provide the necessary tools for those with disabilities to succeed in their jobs and can help these individuals acclimate to the workforce, and even learn and hone their life and social skills. I offered an amendment to preserve these spaces which offer valuable training and support, but House Democrats refused to let my amendment come to the floor for a vote. I am disappointed that we couldn’t at least come together on this common-sense amendment.
“This sheltered workshop provision would have assisted individuals and families by continuing a broad selection of available options to individuals with disabilities as they seek employment,” said Kit Brewer, Legislative Chair of the Missouri Employment Supports and Advocacy (MESA).
“Elimination of such options places additional barriers to the employment success of some men and women with disabilities, and additional burdens on they and their families. We support open communication and information on an array of employment choices.”
House Democrats’ minimum wage bill, H.R. 582, passed the House by a vote of 231-199. It now heads to the Senate for further consideration.
House Democrats’ minimum wage bill, H.R. 582, passed the House by a vote of 231-199. It now heads to the Senate for further consideration.
3 comments:
Raise the wage and all the businesses raise their prices, little if any real gain,just a wonderful way to buy votes with promise of a better tomorrow....wish proposes would focus on education in a serious manner instead of more money ,more money....
Minimum wages are for minimal jobs. If mowing a yard or taking someone's food order was rocket science then the wages would be higher. I understand that all jobs can be taxing and a lot of single moms and dads have these minimal jobs, but why has this become an issue for the taxpayers? Not everyone can become that rocket scientist or a nurse, but this country gives the opportunity to everyone who has the smarts and the will to do it. There, the wages are fairer. I am not against a higher minimum wage as in 10 dollars/hr, but I would like to see more people try to get out of that rut of needing the government to step in all the time. You can make more money working part-time in a lot of places if you apply yourself. Yes, there will always be a need for food service workers and other low-effort jobs, but if you increase the wage to 15/hr, then the person who is making 25/hr will demand more for obvious reasons and the price of milk, coffee, meat, childcare, etc will also go up. What is gained? Our education system has failed to encourage people to go fo the dream. Those who truly can't are already covered by the government
Concerned Citizen is right. If minimum wage was $1 an hour the cost of everything would be lower. The only thing a higher minimum wage does is hurt the middle class. Those people who currently make $15 an hour won't see an increase in the salary that they have worked hard to achieve, but their expenses will increase. Middle class shrinks as it is absorbed into the new low income group.
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