(Washington, D.C.) Following is a statement by SEIU President Mary Kay Henry regarding an amendment that would raise the nation's minimum wage to $10.10 per hour by 2015. The amendment, similar to a bill introduced in both the House and Senate earlier this month, failed in the U.S. House today by 184-233, with every Republican member of the House voting against it.

"House Democrats once again stood up for millions of hardworking men and women in this country who struggle to get by on the ever-eroding value of the federal minimum wage. They rightly forced a vote on increasing the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour, a boost that would mean thousands of dollars a year for a full-time minimum wage worker.

"The rich are doing just fine. It is ordinary, working families who need their elected officials to stand up for them. A rallying stock market and other economic indicators point to an economy that continues on the road to recovery. But the truth is that the recovery is not widely shared. Too many families are struggling to get by. Lawmakers who steadfastly oppose increasing the nation's minimum wage should be prepared to tell their constituents why they voted against a raise for hardworking people. Better yet, they should demonstrate they are in touch with concerns of everyday working people and pass policies, like an increase in the minimum wage, that will boost incomes and get more people working."

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