Dear Friend,
Strong economic growth can only be achieved when all Americans have the opportunity to succeed. Unfortunately, there are still too many barriers facing middle-class Americans. That’s why today, on the Working Families Day of Action, we must recommit to building an economy that works for everyone.
Outdated workplace policies in the United State are preventing millions of full-time workers from earning a living wage. We also aren’t doing enough to ensure workers can care for their families without losing their paycheck. To begin addressing these issues, I have joined with my colleagues to support a Working Families Agenda that will give Americans a real opportunity to succeed.
To start, I support legislation to jump-start stagnant wages. Simply raising the federal minimum wage to $12 an hour will help rebuild the middle class by giving nearly 40 million hard-working Americans a raise, including the parents of 18 million children. I also welcomed the Obama administration’s recent proposal to extend overtime pay to nearly 5 million workers. And we must pass legislation to ensure equal pay for equal work. Families today rely on women’s wages to put food on the table, save for retirement and pay for their children’s education. When women aren’t paid what they deserve, middle-class families and communities pay the price.
But the fight for families’ economic security doesn’t stop with fair wages. Right now, too many Americans are forced to choose between caring for their family and keeping their paychecks. That’s why I’ve cosponsored the Healthy Families Act, which allows workers to earn up to seven paid sick days each year to care for a sick family member or attend meetings at a child’s school. I am also fighting for legislation to expand the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC) to help families with the cost of child care.
These are just a few examples of commonsense proposals that would help our workers and families. Our economy thrives when families are both healthy and financially stable, and I look forward to continue working to strengthen our middle class.
As always, my office is here to serve you. If you have questions or comments about the topics that matter most to you, I encourage you to contact me through my website. You may also keep up-to-date on what I’m doing by following me on Twitter, Instagramand Facebook. If you need assistance dealing with a federal agency, such as the IRS or the VA, please do not hesitate to contact my Bothell office at (425) 485-0085.
Sincerely,
Suzan
