KENNEDY: TODAY’S VOTE ON MINIMUM WAGE WILL TEST WHETHER WE ARE SERIOUS ABOUT FIGHTING POVERTY REPUBLICAN PLAN HAS ANTI-WORKER POISON PILLS THAT WOULD HURT MILLIONS

Washington, DC: Today at 4:30 pm the Senate will vote on two proposals on minimum wage: Senator Kennedy’s amendment and the Republican plan that contains anti-worker poison pills. Last night, to ensure bipartisan support, Kennedy changed the amount of the increase to match the amount of the Republican plan, but without their poison pills. Kennedy reached across the aisle to ensure that a minimum wage increase has the best chance of success given dire and urgent circumstances facing the 37 million Americans living in poverty. The Republican amendment, offered by Senator Enzi, is loaded with anti-worker provisions that would severely hurt millions and millions of workers, including those that a minimum wage increase is supposed to protect. Kennedy’s new proposal -- which he considers just a down payment -- would raise the minimum wage to $6.25; currently the minimum wage is $5.15. In March, 50 Senators supported Kennedy’s initial plan to raise the minimum wage to $7.25 while an additional 35 supported the Republican plan to raise it to $6.25 -- so clearly there should be broad bipartisan support for raising it $1.10. “The Bush Administration and Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle have talked a lot about poverty in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. But actions speak louder than words. These two amendments will test whether we are truly serious about fighting poverty,” Senator Kennedy said. “If we are serious about helping hard-working families, we will give a fair raise to America’s low-income workers without taking away essential protections or allowing special interests to trump states’ rights. The Republican amendment will actually plunge more children into poverty, and that’s simply unacceptable.” The minimum wage hasn’t been increased since 1997, yet during that time Americans increasingly feel the squeeze of the Bush economy. Americans are spending 74 percent more on gas than they did at the beginning of 2001. Heating oil prices are expected to rise by 56 percent this winter. Such rapid price increases will force consumers, especially the poor, to cut spending on clothing, health care and food just so they can get to work and keep warm this winter. Hurricane Katrina demonstrated in stark terms that so many Americans live every day on the brink of economic disaster and for them any setback becomes a major obstacle to survival. Below are two floor speeches, which Kennedy plans to give during today’s debate.