Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement on tomorrow's national minimum wage increase from $6.55 per hour to $7.25 per hour:

“Tomorrow’s increase in the minimum wage comes as much-needed relief for families and our economy. Minimum-wage workers will find that the raise will help them provide for their families in these difficult economic times. And our economy will benefit from the increased consumer spending that will result, which, in turn, can help preserve jobs. 

“The raise to $7.25 per hour is the last step of Democratic legislation that brought the minimum wage up from $5.15 per hour in 2007, its lowest purchasing power in 51 years. Tomorrow is an important step toward the day when no hard-working American will ever have to live in poverty.”