Berkley Supports Minimum Wage Increase

SHELLEY BERKLEY CONTINUES FIGHTING FOR NEVADA MIDDLE-CLASS BY SUPPORTING MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE

Earlier Today, Shelley Was Proud To Become Original Co-Sponsor On
Minimum Wage Bill For Nevada Middle-Class Families; Effort Will Help
Families Put Food on Table and Pay Family Bills

While Shelley Fights For Nevada’s Middle-Class, Senator Dean Heller
Continues His Long Record Of Opposing Minimum Wage Increases
While Continuing To Fight For Wall Street Special Interests

Las Vegas – Today, the Shelley Berkley for Senate campaign announced that Shelley was proud to become an original co-sponsor of a bill to raise the minimum wage, while also highlighting Senator Dean Heller’s long record of voting against increases to the minimum wage as he goes to bat for Wall Street special interests.

Earlier this morning, Shelley became an original cosponsor of the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2012, a common sense bill that wouldincrease the minimum wage in three 85-cent steps over three years from $7.25 to $9.80 per hour.

Increasing the minimum wage would be a boon to Nevada middle-class families by making it easier to put food on the table, gas in the family car and pay the mortgage and bills.  Shelley has voted six times to raise the minimum wage as part of her fight for Nevada’s middle-class.

On the other hand, Senator Dean Heller has a long history of opposing efforts to raise the minimum wage for Nevada middle-class families while continuing to fight for Wall Street special interests.  Heller has opposed previous efforts to raise the minimum wage three times while voting to protect tax breaks for corporations that ship Nevada jobs overseas, defend huge taxpayer subsidies to Big Oil companies, and end Medicare by turning it over to profit-hungry private insurance companies — twice.

“I’m proud to support efforts to raise the minimum wage for Nevada’s middle-class because Washington must start prioritizing Nevada families who need relief, not Washington special interests,” said U.S. Senate candidate Shelley Berkley.  “Unfortunately my opponent, Senator Dean Heller, continues to look out for Wall Street by supporting tax breaks for corporations that ship Nevada jobs overseas, backing taxpayer subsidies to Big Oil companies, and voting to turn Medicare over to profit-hungry private insurance companies.  It’s time Nevada had a Senator who fights every day for families struggling to make ends meet instead of the big special interests who don’t need our help.”

Berkley Has Voted Six Times to Raise the Minimum Wage

Berkley Voted to Raise the Minimum Wage.  In 2007, Berkley voted for an emergency appropriations bill that included a provision to raise the minimum wage to $7.25 per hour over two years.  To help small businesses with the cost of raising the minimum wage, the measure provided $4.8 billion in small-business tax incentives. The measure passed 348-73. [HR 2206, Vote #424, 5/24/07; Congressional Quarterly]

Berkley Voted to Raise the Minimum Wage.  In 2007, Berkley voted for legislation that would provide $42.8 billion in fiscal 2007 emergency spending for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. In addition, the bill raised the minimum wage to $7.25 per hour over two years and provided $4.8 billion in small-business tax incentives.The bill passed 221-205. [HR 2206, Vote #333, 5/10/07; Congressional Quarterly]

Berkley Voted for Minimum Wage Increase.  In 2007, Berkley voted for increasing the minimum wage from by $2.10 an hour to $7.25 an hour.  The measure passed 218-212.  [HR 1591, Vote #186, 3/23/07; CQ House Action Reports, No. 110-3, 3/20/07]

Berkley Voted for Fair Minimum Wage Act.  In 2007, Berkley voted for an increase to the federal minimum wage by $2.10 over two years — from the previous level of $5.15 an hour to $7.25 an hour.  According to a Rep. Shelley Berkley press release, “the increase supported by Berkley is the first to be approved by the U.S. House of Representatives in more than a decade.” The bill passed 315-116. [HR 2, Vote #18, 1/10/07; Office of Rep. Shelley Berkley, 1/10/07]

Berkley Voted for $1-per-Hour Wage Increase.  In 2000, Berkley voted for final passage of HR 3846, which would have increased the federal minimum wage by $1-per-hour over two years, except for certain occupations where employees tended to work unconventional hours (e.g., funeral home directors, computer professionals).  The bill amended the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 and was procedurally tied to HR 3081 (through H Res 434), which provided an estimated $46 billion in tax cuts over five years. The bill passed 282-143.  [HR 3846, Vote #45, 3/09/00]

Berkley Voted to Speed Up Minimum Wage Increase.  In 2000, Berkley voted for an amendment to HR 3846, which increased the minimum wage by $1 by April 1, 2001.  The original bill phased in the increase through April 1, 2002.  The amendment passed 246-179.  [HR 3846, Vote #43, 3/09/00]

Heller Has Voted Against Increasing The Federal Minimum Wage

Heller Said He Would Vote Against Raising The Federal Minimum Wage Because “Market Forces Are Doing Their Job.” In January 2007, the Gannett News Service reported that “The freshman from Carson City could remain in the minority on some of the issues the House will consider next week. Among them: raising the federal minimum wage to $7.25 an hour. Heller noted that Nevada voters recently increased the state’s minimum wage to $6.15 an hour. ‘We have McDonald’s right now paying $10 an hour,’ he said. ‘I think market forces are doing their job.’” [Gannett News Service, 1/8/2007]

Heller Opposed Fair Minimum Wage Act. In 2007, Heller voted against an increase to the federal minimum wage by $2.10 over two years — from the previous level of $5.15 an hour to $7.25 an hour.  The bill passed 315-116.  [HR 2, Vote 18, 1/10/07]

Heller Opposed Minimum Wage Increase. In 2007, Heller voted against legislation that, among other provisions, increases the federal minimum wage by $2.10 an hour over two years — from its current level of $5.15 an hour to $7.25 an hour. This increase would occur in three increments of 70 cents each, with the first increment becoming effective, 60 days after enactment. The measure also extends the federal minimum wage to the Northern Mariana Islands and to American Samoa. [CQ House Action Reports, No. 110-3, 3/20/07; HR 1591, Vote 186, 3/23/07]

Heller Voted Against Raising the Minimum Wage. In 2007, Heller voted against legislation that would provide $42.8 billion in fiscal 2007 emergency spending for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. In addition, the bill raised the minimum wage to $7.25 per hour over two years and provided $4.8 billion in small-business tax incentives. The bill also included $6.8 billion for hurricane recovery and relief, $3.3 billion for military healthcare costs and $2.25 billion for homeland security anti-terrorism programs. The bill also required another congressional vote in late July to release the remaining $52.8 billion for the Pentagon, and would withhold funds until the president reports by July 13 on progress the Iraqi government has made toward meeting specified benchmarks and goals set by the bill and Congress has adopted a joint resolution releasing the “fenced off” funds. President Bush opposed the bill. The bill passed 221-205.  [CQ Floor Votes;HR 2206, Vote 333, 5/10/07]