Woodall Votes to Support Small Businesses and Against Job-Killing Legislation

Press Release

In a vote of 231 to 199, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 582, which would raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour -- a 107% wage increase. Last week, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) found that this increase could eliminate up to 3.7 million jobs and reduce real annual income for American families by $8.7 billion. Additionally, it warned that the negative effects of the measure would disproportionately harm vulnerable communities: 60% of those losing a job would be women, 46% would be younger workers, and 37% would be workers who had less than a high school diploma. Congressman Woodall issued the following statement on the Raise the Wage Act.

"Since January 2017, 5.6 million jobs have been created. Right now, there are currently 7.4 million job openings in our nation. Republican pro-growth policies are working. Wages are rising, unemployment is below four percent. A $15 minimum wage can potentially erase all of our economic growth. I'm in favor of legislation that empowers all of us to be able to pursue our version of the American Dream. This legislation hurts those who it is trying to help. I would encourage my friends across the aisle to work with us and develop bipartisan solutions to empower those who are struggling. Unfortunately, this legislation is not the pathway forward."

Congressman Woodall represents the Seventh Congressional District of Georgia, which includes significant portions of Forsyth and Gwinnett counties. He currently serves on the Rules Committee, the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, and the Budget Committee.

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