Miller Reacts to Obama State of the Union Address; Calls for Action to Raise the Minimum Wage, Support Early Childhood Education
WASHINGTON—Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, released the following statement in response President Barack Obama’s 2013 State of the Union address tonight:
“Tonight, President Obama called on Congress to get on board and increase the federal minimum wage to $10.10 an hour so that hard-working Americans with full-time jobs don’t have to raise their families in poverty. More than 180 of my colleagues have already signed on to H.R. 1010, which would do just that. We are seeing support for raising the minimum wage build to a crescendo. Americans across the country and across the political spectrum are all coming together in favor of giving working families a raise. Congressional Republicans should heed this resounding call. President Obama is setting the right example by raising the minimum wage for those working on federal contracts. But this wage needs to rise for all, and that requires congressional action. The time has come to allow a vote on H.R. 1010 and raise the federal minimum wage to lift working people out of poverty, create jobs, and move America forward.
“The President also renewed his call for high-quality pre-K for all children. Research clearly shows that investing in early education leads to better educational outcomes, stronger job earnings, and lower crime rates. The Strong Start for America’s Children Act, a bill with bipartisan support, would create a bold, 10-year innovative federal-state partnership to expand and improve early learning opportunities for children. It is ready and waiting for a vote in Congress. It is time to act. America’s children can’t afford to wait any longer.”
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