Alexander Statement on Senate Minimum Wage Vote

Washington, D.C., April 30 – U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), the senior Republican on the committee that oversees labor policy, today released the following statement on his vote against moving to the Democrats’ minimum wage proposal:

“Surely Senate Democrats could come up with a better jobs program than one that the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office says would destroy 500,000 jobs,” Alexander said.

The Congressional Budget Office estimated the Democrats’ proposal would reduce total employment by about 500,000 workers and concentrate 80 percent of the benefits on families above the poverty level, with $4 out of $5 earned from the increase going to workers in families who are above the poverty level.

The Senate voted today against moving to the bill by a vote of 54 to 42.

In a speech Monday on the Senate floor, Alexander noted that Republicans were not allowed to offer proposals to raise family incomes and help create jobs as amendments to the Democrats’ bill in the labor committee. 

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