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Ask Your Congressman to Vote NO on the Raise the Wage Act
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The Trump Administration has made great strides in supporting businesses and workers through simplifying the tax code in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). Not only are individuals benefiting from increased take-home pay, but companies are also paying less in taxes. In response, businesses have increased wages, handed out more bonuses, and contributed more to retirement funds. American families now have more money to use and save.
However, the Raise the Wage Act (H.R. 582), or as the Republicans are calling it, the Raising Unemployment for American Worker’s Act, creates a federal minimum wage of $15 an hour to be enacted by the year 2024 and has the potential to cripple the market. Creating a minimum wage hurts businesses and forces company leadership to choose payroll over other employees and their benefits, like retirement contributions or bonuses. Chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor and sponsor of H.R. 582 Congressman Bobby Scott says that this legislation is good for business and the economy because the worker will have more money to spend. But, increased wages correlate to higher fixed or operating costs which force higher prices on goods and services, business closure, and jobs. This hurts the consumer, or in this case, the minimum wage earner. Even with an increased wage, the typical American would not be able to afford more goods and services because of the increased costs of products. In addition, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that H.R. 582 will cost the economy 3.7 million jobs.
If Congress really wants to support hard-working Americans and their families, they should enact policies aimed at deregulating and minimizing barriers to entry. For example, the costs associated with occupational licensing shut out many potential workers. Congress should stand with the American worker by supporting legislation that incentivizes, not mandates, businesses to increase wages and jobs.
Please call or email your Representative and ask them to oppose H.R. 582, the Raise the Wage Act.
Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121
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