U.S. President Barack Obama, second from right, speaks while meeting with members of the Democratic Governors Association in the State Dining Room with Jason Furman, chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers (CEA), from left, John Podesta, counselor to Obama, David Simas, assistant to Obama, U.S. Vice President Joseph "Joe" Biden, and Valerie Jarrett, senior advisor to Obama, in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Friday, Feb. 21, 2014. UPI/Andrew Harrer/Pool |
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In his State of the Union address, Obama called for an increase in the federal minimum wage to $10.10 per hour.
Noting that national polls show support for a higher minimum wage, the president said, "Raising the minimum wage will help up to 16 million Americans -- and that's a big deal and that could give a boost to our economy as a whole."
And, Obama said, many of the governors attending the meeting were "pushing to raise their state's minimum wages to benefit more working families and help to grow their economies."
Acknowledging that most working Americans make more than minimum wage now, Obama said, "People, I think, instinctually understand that part of what this country should be about is if you're working hard and taking responsibility that you can get ahead and that you can look after your family."
He said he would press Congress to pass a minimum wage bill and would be "seeking Republicans who are game to work with us and prepared to work with us on this issue."