Debates about increasing the minimum wage continue on Capitol Hill this week as dozens of business leaders are meeting with members of Congress on Wednesday and Thursday to gain support for a minimum wage increase to $10.10 an hour.
Business owners and executives from the Smart Capitalists for American Prosperity and Business for a Fair Minimum Wage groups are meeting with officials from the White House and other prominent politicians to rally for an increase of the current $7.25 an hour minimum wage.
The groups include a mixture of liberals and conservatives who are working together to gain support for the Fair Minimum Wage Act vote that will soon take place in the Senate.
“There is only so much Chunky Monkey one rich guy can eat. For Ben & Jerry’s to succeed, we need more than one ice cream buying rich guy,” said Ben Cohen, co-founder of the ice cream company and Smart Capitalists member, in a press release. “Raise the minimum wage and everyone can have a scoop.”
Other Smart Capitalists members include Michael Alexander, founder of Student Financial Aid Services (FAFSA), Tarrus Richardson, CEO of IMB Development Corp. and Ron Unz, former publisher The American Conservative.
Business for a Fair Minimum Wage is made up of business leaders from companies like Costco, American Income Life, New Belgium Brewing and the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce.
Increasing the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour has already been passed in one state. On Wednesday, Connecticut passed legislation that will increase minimum wage in the state by 2017.
President Barack Obama expressed his support of Connecticut’s efforts in a statement and asked businesses and politicians to follow suit.
Obama said that increasing the minimum wage is necessary “to help ensure that no American who works full time has to raise a family in poverty, and that every American who works hard has the chance to get ahead.”
