|
| | HR0705 | | LRB101 19691 ECR 69184 r |
|
|
| 1 | | HOUSE RESOLUTION
|
| 2 | | WHEREAS, In the United States, 38.1 million people live in |
| 3 | | poverty, with nearly 45 percent of that population living in |
| 4 | | deep poverty; and
|
| 5 | | WHEREAS, The United States Department of Agriculture |
| 6 | | estimates that 11.1% of households were food insecure in 2018; |
| 7 | | and
|
| 8 | | WHEREAS, Poverty is associated with higher mortality rates |
| 9 | | and a higher prevalence of acute or chronic diseases; those who |
| 10 | | live in poverty are often unable to provide safe and suitable |
| 11 | | living conditions for themselves or their families; and
|
| 12 | | WHEREAS, The purchasing power of the federal minimum wage |
| 13 | | peaked in 1968 at $1.60 an hour, which is equivalent to $12 an |
| 14 | | hour in 2019; and
|
| 15 | | WHEREAS, Annual inflation diminishes the true value of a |
| 16 | | minimum wage worker's paycheck; this leaves them with less |
| 17 | | purchasing power, mobility, and fewer opportunities; and
|
| 18 | | WHEREAS, The federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour and has |
| 19 | | remained the same for over a decade; and
|
|
| | HR0705 | - 2 - | LRB101 19691 ECR 69184 r |
|
|
| 1 | | WHEREAS, To keep pace with labor productivity, the federal |
| 2 | | minimum wage should have been raised to $19.33 an hour in 2017; |
| 3 | | and
|
| 4 | | WHEREAS, Research has found that increasing the minimum |
| 5 | | wage reduces deaths from alcohol, drugs, and suicide; raising |
| 6 | | the minimum wage can also reduce crime while increasing |
| 7 | | economic productivity; and
|
| 8 | | WHEREAS, Over half of these United States have a higher |
| 9 | | minimum wage than the federal minimum wage; in 2016, 52 percent |
| 10 | | of voters supported raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour; |
| 11 | | and
|
| 12 | | WHEREAS, Recently, the State of Illinois passed |
| 13 | | legislation to increase the state minimum wage to $15 an hour |
| 14 | | by 2025; Illinois decided that the people deserve better, and |
| 15 | | now, it is time for the Federal government to do the same; and
|
| 16 | | WHEREAS, The Federal Government must provide a wage floor |
| 17 | | from which all Americans can make a living; therefore, be it
|
| 18 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE |
| 19 | | HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that |
| 20 | | we urge the Federal government to raise millions out of poverty |
| 21 | | by increasing the federal minimum wage; and be it further
|