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By DAVID H. LAWS
Rappahannock New* Contributing Writer
The U.S. House of Representatives will soon vote on H.R. 1834, the Minimum Wage Restoration Act. If passed, this legislation could restore some vestige of the American dream to millions of poor Americans for whom hard work no longer ensures economic survival.
The minimum wage was first established at 25 cents per hour in 1938. Since that time Congress has periodically adjusted it to keep pace with the general economy. These wage adjustments thus ensured that every worker would be paid enough to achieve a decent minimum standard of living.
| Opinion
However, since the last increase in 1981, the value of the current $3.35 minimum wage has fallen by 29 percent. Today, it is worth only $2.36 in 1981 dollars. That’s a fulltime income of about $6,700 a year - not even enough to keep one adult and one child above the poverty line.
91.7%