Subject: Washington Connection Legislative Update - Minimum Wage Act of 2007 From the Desk of Day Al-Mohamed Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs Washington Connection Legislative Update - Minimum Wage Act of 2007 January 11, 2007 Yesterday afternoon, the House of Representatives passed the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007 (H.R. 2) by a vote of 315 to 116. The bill raises the minimum wage from $5.15 per hour to $7.25 per hour over the next two years and two months. This would take place in three stages: to $5.85 an hour 60 days after being signed into law by the president, to $6.55 a year later and then to $7.25 the following year. According to a spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV.), a vote in the Senate is not expected until the end of next week. Of particular note, and perhaps as an opportunity for future action, are the following comments made by Representative English (PA) - they can be found in yesterday's Congressional Record: "Today, we have an opportunity to raise the minimum wage, but because of the procedural restrictions we face on the floor some are going to be left behind and that is particularly disappointing. "While H.R. 2 will provide a $2.10 raise for American workers, sadly, it fails to take into account many Americans with disabilities who are in our workforce. These are disabled Americans who receive SSI disability benefits who are active participants in the workforce and maintaining jobs that give them great satisfaction. Unfortunately, they are left behind because, currently, SSI beneficiaries are limited to $900 per month in order to remain eligible to receive benefits. If the wage hike under consideration today goes into law without raising an earnings limit for people on SSI, Americans with disabilities engaged in full-time employment would either potentially lose their benefits or have to cut back on their hours. That is a decision they shouldn't have to make. "Mr. Speaker, this is not only a disincentive to work, it is a woefully shortsighted policy, which hopefully we will be able to correct before this law goes into effect. "I introduced H.R. 290 which would ensure that workers with disabilities would not lose their payments through raising the earnings limitation on SSI. I wasn't able to offer that provision today because no amendments are being allowed. The result, unfortunately, is, having barred Republicans from having offered this change as an amendment, the majority has created as real victims not House Republicans but Americans with disabilities. And that is a shame. "Although an increase in the minimum wage is critical, and I strongly support this bill, I sincerely hope that the new majority will move ultimately to rectify this inequity in this Congress." Day Al-Mohamed Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs American Council of the Blind 1155 15th St. NW Washington DC 20005 Tel. 202-467-5081 dalmohamed@acb.org