WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01) issued the following statement on the eve of the twelfth anniversary of the last minimum wage increase, which took place on July 24, 2009:

“I've worked for minimum wage, and I was once a young, single dad, raising my son and having to balance work, family life and a checkbook. Back then it was hard, but today, it's impossible. No American who works full-time should live in poverty. But that’s exactly what’s happening all around us. Raising the minimum wage is a crucial step for our economy to truly and equitably build back better.”

In January, Norcross joined House Committee on Education and Labor Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), Senate Budget Committee Chair Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Senate HELP Committee Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) to introduce the Raise the Wage Act, legislation to gradually raise the federal minimum wage to $15 by 2025.

Norcross added: “Once again, we reintroduced the Raise the Wage Act in the House. This time, we did so with the support of the House Labor Caucus and President Biden, sending a clear message to workers: we see you, we hear you and we value you. As we continue to recover from the coronavirus and an economic crisis, the fight for $15 is more critical than ever. There isn’t time to waste, the Senate must pass the Raise the Wage Act so that we can give workers the raise they need and deserve.”

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Contact: Elizabeth Leer
elizabeth.leer@mail.house.gov