By Tom Cole Congressman (OK-4) U.S. House of Representatives
“While I don’t doubt this bill is well intentioned, it is unprecedented and misguided for a country as large and diverse as the United States. Never in our history, or indeed in the industrialized world, has the minimum wage been increased so drastically in such a short amount of time,” said Cole. “Indeed, the one-size-fits-all policy proposed by the Democrats would have dramaticand unintended consequences nationwide for the very people it seeks to help and could cause up to four million lost jobs.
In fact, the Economic Policies Institute predicts that the legislation would lead to nearly 38,000 jobs lost just in Oklahoma. With unemployment lower than it’s been in nearly 50 years and wages already increasing at the fastest rate in a decade, this misguided piece of legislation would undo it all.”
By Kendra Horn Congresswoman (OK-5) U.S. House of Representatives
“I am committed to a pragmatic policy that grows our economy, creates good jobs and strengthens the middle class. We need to raise the minimum wage, but we have to be smart about how we tackle such an important issue. The bill before the House todayused a sledgehammer, not a scalpel. By taking a one-size-fits-all approach, this legislation ignores the differences in regions, the cost of living and the cost of doing business. It doesn’t consider that Shawnee is different from San Francisco and Oklahoma City is different from New York City. That’s why I had to vote no. I believe a different piece of legislation – the PHASE Act, which I have cosponsored and that raises the minimum wage incrementally and regionally – addresses this issue in a more reasonable way.
“I am committed to continuing to work for equitable policies that help Oklahoma families and businesses.
“We need to have everyone at the table in this conversation – businesses of all sizes, workers, families and community leaders. This is a tough issue to balance, and we need everyone to have a voice in it.”