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Catholic Charities USA:
Calling the current minimum wage inadequate for low-income families to meet their basic needs, Catholic Charities USA is urging Congress to adopt legislation to increase the hourly minimum wage.
Family economic security, including increasing the minimum wage, is vital to addressing the issue of poverty in the United States and is a key component of Catholic Charities USA's Campaign to Reduce Poverty in America.
Since the last increase in 1997, the minimum wage has been stagnant at a mere $5.15 an hour - $10,712 a year leaving a family of three approximately $6,000 below the federal poverty line.
"Over the last several years, our agencies have been coping with steady double digit increases each year in requests for emergency assistance because low-wage workers simply cannot earn enough to cover rent, child care, food, utilities, and clothing for their families," said Rev. Larry Snyder, president of Catholic Charities USA. Many people served by Catholic Charities agencies are poor despite full-time employment at the bottom of the labor market: cleaning houses and office buildings, harvesting and preparing food, and watching over children of working parents.
Posted on January 11, 2007 03:39 PM
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