2017: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted Against Considering Legislation
Raising The Minimum Wage To $15 Per House In Seven Years. In June
2017, Fitzpatrick voted for a motion to order the previous question on,
according to Congressional Quarterly, "on the rule (H Res 414) that
would provide for House floor consideration of the bill (HR 3003) that
would prohibit federal, state and local governments from restricting any
federal, state, or local government entity or official from complying
with immigration laws or from assisting federal law enforcement in its
enforcement of such laws." According to the office of Nancy Pelosi, "the
Democratic previous question would amend the rule to allow for
consideration [sic] of H.R. 15, the Raise The Wage Act,, [sic] which
would give workers the raise they deserve, and increase the federal
minimum wage to $15 an hour within 7 years." The vote was on the
previous question. The House agreed to the motion by a vote of 235 to
190. [House Vote 331,
6/28/17; Congressional
Quarterly, 6/28/17; Democratic
Leader, Accessed
3/27/18;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
15;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
1343;
Congressional Actions, H. Res.
240]
2021: Fitzpatrick Voted Against The American Rescue Plan Of 2021,
Which Would Gradually Increase The Federal Minimum Wage To $15 Per Hour
By 2025, Including For Tipped Workers, Teenage Workers And Workers With
Disabilities. In February 2021, Fitzpatrick voted against the American
Rescue Plan Act of 2021 which would, according to Congressional
Quarterly, "incrementally increase the federal minimum wage annually to
reach $15 per hour in 2025, including for tipped workers, teens and
workers with disabilities." The vote was on passage. The House passed
the bill by a vote of 219-212, sent to the Senate and President, and the
Senate version ultimately became law. [House Vote 49,
2/27/21; Congressional
Quarterly, 2/27/21;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
1319]
2019: Fitzpatrick Voted For Raising The Minimum Wage To $15 Per Hour
By 2025. In July 2019, Fitzpatrick voted for a bill that would,
according to Congressional Quarterly, "increase the federal minimum wage
to $8.40 per hour on the first day of the third month after enactment
and would incrementally increase it annually to reach $15 per hour six
years after the effective date [...] The bill would also increase the
minimum wage for tipped employees, teens, and individuals with
disabilities, with incremental increases over five years until each of
these rates reaches $15 per hour, at which point the separate minimum
wages would be repealed." The vote was on passage. The House passed the
bill by a vote of 231-199. [House Vote 496,
7/18/19; Congressional
Quarterly, 7/18/19;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
582]
The Minimum Wage Had Not Been Increased Since 2009, The Longest
Gap Since It Was Established In 1938. According to the New York
Times, "The bill would more than double the federal minimum wage,
which is $7.25 an hour --- about $15,000 a year for someone
working 40 hours a week, or about $10,000 less than the federal
poverty level for a family of four. It has not been raised since
2009, the longest time the country has gone without a minimum-wage
increase since it was established 1938." [New York Times,
7/18/19]
CBO: A $15 Minimum Wage Would Cause The Number Of Americans
Living In Poverty To Decrease, Though It Could Cost Up To 1.3
Million Jobs. According to Congressional Quarterly, "A
Congressional Budget Office report on the bill, released this month,
said that more than doubling the federal minimum wage to $15 per
hour could cost 1.3 million jobs when fully implemented by 2025,
though millions would see higher wages and the number of Americans
living in poverty would decrease." [Congressional Quarterly,
7/18/19]
EPI; A $15 Minimum Wage Would Increase The Annual Wage Of An
Average Affected Worker By $2,800. According to the Economic
Policy Institute, "such an increase in the federal wage floor would
lift wages for 33.5 million workers across the country by
2025---more than one-fifth of the wage-earning workforce. The
increase would boost total annual wages for these low-wage workers
by $92.5 billion, lifting annual earnings for the average affected
year-round worker by $2,800." [Economic Policy Institute,
7/17/19]
2019: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted To Exempt Small Businesses With
Less Than 10 Employees Or Under $1 Million In Profits From Raising The
Minimum Wage To $15 Per Hour. In July 2019, Fitzpatrick voted for a
bill that would, according to Congressional Quarterly, "recommit the
bill to the House Education and Labor Committee with instructions to
report it back immediately with an amendment that would exempt from the
bill's requirements businesses that employ fewer than 10 individuals or
that have an annual gross volume of sales and business of less than $1
million." The vote was on a motion to recommit. The House rejected the
motion by a vote of 210-218. [House Vote 495,
7/18/19; Congressional
Quarterly, 7/18/19;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
582]
The Minimum Wage Had Not Been Increased Since 2009, The Longest
Gap Since It Was Established In 1938. According to the New York
Times, "The bill would more than double the federal minimum wage,
which is $7.25 an hour --- about $15,000 a year for someone
working 40 hours a week, or about $10,000 less than the federal
poverty level for a family of four. It has not been raised since
2009, the longest time the country has gone without a minimum-wage
increase since it was established 1938." [New York Times,
7/18/19]
Some Democrats Worried That The New Bill Would Disproportionately
Burden States Or Regions Where The Cost Of Living Is Lower.
According to Congressional Quarterly, "Some Democrats felt the
bill's original five-year time span would be too quick for some
states or regions where the cost of living is lower. In those areas,
the spending power of a dollar goes further for consumers, but
income is lower for regional businesses that would have to pay
employees the higher wage." [Congressional Quarterly,
7/18/19]
Progressive Democrats Threatened To Vote Against The Bill If
Moderates Voted For The Motion To Recommit. According to
Congressional Quarterly, "the Democratic-led effort was almost
derailed by divisions between progressives and moderates.
Progressives on Wednesday had issued a last-minute warning to
moderate colleagues not to help Republicans make last-minute changes
to the bill through the procedural maneuver known as a motion to
recommit. If moderate Democrats helped the GOP add what the
progressives considered poison pill language to the measure, members
of the Congressional Progressive Caucus were prepared to vote
against it." [Congressional Quarterly,
7/18/19]