The Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007—and Why it Matters to You!

The cost of a college education today is soaring, and larger numbers of college students than ever are working part-time jobs to help pay for their degree, many of them at minimum wage. While 17 states have a minimum wage higher than the federal minimum, the rest of America operates at a minimum wage of a mere $5.15 an hour.

Fortunately, minimum wage earners across the nation are about to receive a huge break. This past January, the Democrats won control of Congress, and one of the many reforms they immediately introduced was the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007. The bill proposes to raise the federal minimum wage to $5.85 within 60 days of enactment, $6.55 within one year, and finally $7.25 within two years. Less than a month after its introduction, the bill passed in both the House and Senate and is now awaiting presidential approval before it will become law.

So why do we care? Because the average college student is now more than $20,000 in debt at graduation, and often that's just the beginning! The Fair Minimum Wage Act offers all minimum wage earners throughout the nation the promise of better wages and relief. This piece of legislation is necessary for our economy simply because a paltry $5.15 an hour is not enough to make a living.

This year's increase is the first increase in the minimum wage in nearly a decade, and the old minimum wage is simply outdated. It is from a time when $5.15 an hour may have been enough to support oneself—but in today's society, it is no longer enough, and that's why this raise is coming at just the right time.

While there have been some outspoken critics of raising the minimum wage, the overwhelming majority of Americans—89 percent to be exact—support the raise, and over 15 million Americans struggling to make ends meet would soon see an increase in their pay because of it.

This is a piece of legislation that directly affects the daily lives of millions of college students across America. Maybe even you will be one of the many people to see a fatter paycheck once this bill becomes law—so if your local Representative or Senator voted for this bill, don't forget to thank them!

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