Dear Representative,

Good Jobs Nation urges you to vote NO on the Smith Amendment to H.R. 2029, which would prevent funds from being used to enforce or implement Executive Order 13658, Establishing a Minimum Wage for Contractors.

At a time when US contract workers, including Charles Gladden who makes so little he lives on the streets, on the Capitol campus have gone on strike to highlight their low wages and reliance on public assistance, blocking this Executive Order, which sets a minimum wage of $10.10 an hour is a step in the wrong direction. Whether they serve food to our elected leaders or provide services to our veterans, no workers should have to live in poverty or rely on food stamps to make ends meet.

For too long, the U.S. government has been America’s largest low-wage job creator, fueling a race to the bottom by creating incentives for companies to cut corners on the backs of workers in order to win federal contracts. By raising the minimum wage for contracted low-wage workers, this executive order would boost demand for goods and services in local communities, creating billions of dollars in new consumer spending across the economy. Studies have also shown that increasing pay decreases turnover, leading to a more experienced, better-trained workforce. By prohibiting these funds from being used to enforce or implement this executive order, the federal government will continue paying poverty wages when it should be setting an example for private businesses.

The federal government must use all the tools at its disposal to ensure that the Americans who work hard for the government can afford to live in dignity. We urge you to oppose the Smith Amendment.