RE: Federal minimum wage

Dear Representative ,

Congress has not increased the minimum wage since 1997, meaning the real earnings of workers at the bottom of the pay scale have dropped dramatically. Since the last minimum wage increase, members of Congress have increased their own pay several times, for a total increase of $31,600 per year. Meanwhile, full-time workers in minimum wage jobs earn a total of just $10,700 a year.

Now Congress has pushed through $40 to $50 billion in budget cuts that target health care and education for poor and low-wage working Americans, with plans in the coming months to give another $70 billion in tax breaks for wealthy Americans.

These actions are shameful. I strongly urge you to work for prompt passage of a significant increase in the minimum wage, and to block any further tax cuts until funding cuts for health care and education have been restored and our huge budget deficit is greatly reduced.

Most Sincerely,