H.R. 2 - Minimum Wage

It is unconstitutional to prohibit citizens from working for less than a government-set wage.

Constitutional Vote: No

Vote Date: February 1, 2007

Minimum Wage. The minimum-wage bill (H.R. 2) would raise the federal minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 an hour over the course of two years. The bill would also provide $8.3 billion in small-business tax incentives.

The Senate passed the minimum-wage increase by a vote of 94-3 (Roll Call 42) on February 1, 2007. We have assigned pluses to the nays because it is unconstitutional to prohibit citizens from working for less than a government-set wage.