On Saturday’s broadcast of MSNBC’s “Cross Connection,” Rep. Terri Sewell (D-AL) expressed support for an increase in the minimum wage to $15 an hour, but stated that a $15 minimum wage “will leave a lot of my constituents behind. And so, I think that we have to do our very best to be able to compromise and to work together to make sure that all Americans have enough money in their pockets to be able to provide for themselves and their families.”
Sewell said, “I do believe that the cost of living here in Selma, Alabama is different than the cost of living in New York City. But having said that, I think that the fact that we are gradually increasing it to $15 an hour will help a lot of my small businesses. When I think about my small businesses, my minority and women-owned businesses, they are struggling. But they, too, want to provide their employees with a livable wage. And so, I think that we will fight to make sure that we do increase the federal minimum wage. $15 an hour still is — will leave a lot of my constituents behind. And so, I think that we have to do our very best to be able to compromise and to work together to make sure that all Americans have enough money in their pockets to be able to provide for themselves and their families.”
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