Jim Jeffords on Jobs Independent Jr Senator (VT, retiring 2006)

More employer flexibility; raise minimum wage

Jeffords supports the following principles regarding employment:
• Provide tax credits for companies that move job-creating industries into areas with high unemployment.
• Increase funding for national job-training programs that re-train displaced workers or teach skills needed in today’s job market.
• Increase the federal minimum wage.
• Encourage employers to offer flex-time scheduling & comp-time for family emergencies.
• Provide tax credits for businesses that offer on-site child care.

Voted YES on raising the minimum wage to $7.25 rather than $6.25.

Voted YES on repealing Clinton's ergonomic rules on repetitive stress.

Voted NO on killing an increase in the minimum wage.

Voted YES on allowing workers to choose between overtime & comp-time.

Voted NO on replacing farm price supports.

Match minimum wage increases to Congressional pay raises.

OFFICIAL CONGRESSIONAL SUMMARY: A bill to provide for an increase in the Federal Minimum wage and to ensure that increases in the Federal minimum wage keep pace with any pay adjustments for Members of Congress.

SPONSOR'S INTRODUCTORY REMARKS: Sen. CLINTON: This legislation will raise the minimum wage over the next two years and link future increases in the minimum wage to Congressional raises. Today, working parents earning the minimum wage are struggling to make ends meet and to build better lives for their children. The Federal minimum wage is currently $5.15 an hour, an amount that has not been increased since 1997. Sadly, during that time, Congress has given itself eight annual pay raises. We can no longer stand by and regularly give ourselves a pay increase while denying a minimum wage increase to help the more than 7 million men and women working hard across this nation. If Members of Congress need an annual cost of living adjustment, then certainly the lowest-paid members of our society do too.

My legislation would increase the minimum wage first to $5.85 an hour, then to $6.55 an hour, and ultimately to $7.25 an hour within the next two years. In addition, my legislation then ensures that every time Congress gives itself a raise in the future that Americans get a raise too. This is the right and fair thing to do for hardworking Americans.

LEGISLATIVE OUTCOME:Referred to Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions; never came to a vote.