Raise nixed for lowest-paid federal workers

WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 17, 2014) –Every Republican member of Congress voted Wednesday to deny federal employees their first minimum wage increase in more than five years.

U.S. Reps. Jaime Herrera Beutler, Dave Reichert, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, and Doc Hastings of Washington state joined the entire GOP caucus in voting against an amendment by Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.) to raise federal government workers’ lowest legal wage from $7.25 to $10.10 an hour. The amendment failed on a 193-230 vote, with every Democrat from Washington state voting “yes.”

“This amendment would end the federal government’s practice of paying poverty wages to its workers, and hopefully set an example for the private sector to stop paying poverty wages to its workers,” Grayson said on the House floor.

The amendment failed in a voice vote Tuesday night, but Grayson requested a roll call vote to force House members — including those who repeatedly vote against measures that would improve conditions in poor home districts — to go on the record to oppose a livable wage. He told Huffington Post:

The Republicans have been ducking a vote on the minimum wage all year long, in the same way they’ve been ducking votes (on other key issues, like immigration reform). I saw an opportunity to force a vote on the minimum wage, and I took advantage.