Heinrich Statement On Republican Effort To Block Minimum Wage Increase For New Mexico Workers

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) released the following statement today after Senate Republicans refused to advance S. 2223, the Minimum Wage Fairness Act, a bill he is cosponsoring to raise the hourly federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10 and would benefit more than 100,000 hardworking New Mexicans, the majority of whom are women.

"Republicans' refusal to raise the minimum wage demonstrates just how out of touch they are with hardworking Americans. Working full time at the current minimum wage leaves too many families struggling to make ends meet -- this is especially true for women, who are the majority of minimum wage workers today.

"A higher minimum wage puts more money in the pockets of people who are likely to spend locally, helps businesses reduce worker turnover, and increases productivity. And when workers succeed, New Mexico families succeed. Raising the minimum wage is not only a critical component to the economic stability of working parents, but also contributes enormously to improving the well-being of New Mexico children.

"New Mexicans are not strangers to hard work. We embrace the belief that if you work hard and play by the rules, you should be able to get ahead.  Our economy and our workforce are stronger when we reward an honest day's work with fair wages. It's time to raise the minimum wage and ensure that every American has a fair shot to succeed in this country."

Senator Heinrich voted to advance the bill, which failed a procedural vote of 54 to 42.