Politics2015 sotuSOTUstate of the union 2015

Republicans Refuse To Stand Up And Support Fair Pay. Literally.

Republicans Refuse To Stand Up And Support Fair Pay. Literally.
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Reporter, HuffPost

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When President Barack Obama called on Congress to raise the minimum wage and strengthen federal equal-pay laws for women, congressional Republicans refused to stand up and support it. Literally.

"Of course, nothing helps families make ends meet like higher wages. That’s why this Congress still needs to pass a law that makes sure a woman is paid the same as a man for doing the same work. Really. It’s 2015. It’s time," Obama said Tuesday during his annual State of the Union address.

"And to everyone in this Congress who still refuses to raise the minimum wage, I say this: If you truly believe you could work full-time and support a family on less than $15,000 a year, go try it. If not, vote to give millions of the hardest-working people in America a raise."

The remarks drew a standing ovation from many in the chamber, but not from House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and some Republicans, who remained seated.

Republicans have blocked legislation to strengthen fair pay laws for women four times since 2011. Republicans have said that the legislation would discourage employers from hiring women out of a fear of lawsuits.

Watch video of the reaction above.

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Before You Go

What Minimum Wage Haters Won't Say
Most Americans Support Raising The Minimum Wage(01 of10)
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Seventy-three percent of Americans support raising the minimum wage to $10 per hour and indexing it to inflation, according to a recent poll. (credit:AP)
Raising The Minimum Wage Would Boost The Economy(02 of10)
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Low-wage workers spend more when the minimum wage is raised, according to a 2011 study by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. This spending in turn boosts the economy and job growth, according to the Economic Policy Institute. (credit:AP)
Raising The Minimum Wage Does Not Hurt Employment(03 of10)
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A number ofstudies have found that raising the minimum wage does not reduce total employment by a meaningful amount. (credit:AP)
Having A Minimum Wage Has Kept More Teens In School(04 of10)
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The minimum wage has kept teens in high school longer by reducing the number of low-wage jobs available to them, according to one study. (credit:AP)
Prices Don't Always Rise In Response To Minimum Wage Increases(05 of10)
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Though Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) recently warned that raising the minimum wage would be "inflationary," prices apparently don't rise in response to minimum wage hikes. For example, fast food restaurants in Texas did not raise prices in response to federal minimum wage increases in 1990 and 1991, according to one study. (credit:Getty Images)
Letting The Minimum Wage Fall Could Increase Income Inequality(06 of10)
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The erosion of the minimum wage -- that is, the decline of its purchasing power as prices rise -- contributed to income inequality among poorer Americans in the 1980s, according to one study. (credit:Getty Images)
Worker Benefits Don't Get Cut In Response To Minimum Wage Increases(07 of10)
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Minimum wage increases did not lead to reduced worker benefits, according to two studies. (credit:Shutterstock)
Raising The Minimum Wage Does Not Shorten Workdays(08 of10)
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In New Jersey, employers did not cut their workers' hours in response to the state's 1992 minimum wage hike, according to one study. (credit:Getty Images)
Most Minimum-Wage Workers Are Adults(09 of10)
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Contrary to popular belief, 84 percent of minimum-wage workers are age 20 or older, according to the Economic Policy Institute. (credit:AP)
A Falling Minimum Wage Contributes To Obesity(10 of10)
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The erosion of the minimum wage has contributed to growth in U.S. obesity by making fast food cheaper and more popular, according to one study. Meanwhile, healthy food has become more expensive. (credit:Getty Images)
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