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Obama Wants Congress to Raise Minimum Wage


FILE - U.S. President Barack Obama delivers remarks in the press briefing room at the White House.
FILE - U.S. President Barack Obama delivers remarks in the press briefing room at the White House.
U.S. President Barack Obama says a "clear majority" of Americans are in favor of raising the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour.

In his weekly address the president said that half of all Republicans supported raising the minimum wage, but unfortunately they were not the Republican lawmakers serving in Congress.

The U.S. leader said Republican lawmakers did not want to vote on minimum wage "at all."

President Obama praised the efforts of some business owners who have raised their hourly wage rate to at least $10.10, saying Americans have struggled through "stagnant wages for far too long." He said nobody who works full time should have to live in poverty.

Obama has already signed an executive order to raise the minimum wage for people working under new federal contracts.

Watch President Obama's weekly speech:

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