--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To everyone in this Congress who still…" description: "\"To everyone in this Congress who still refuses to raise the minimum wage, I say this: If you truly believe you could work full-time and support a famil..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0de/barack-obama-17_america_to-everyone-in-this-congress-who-still-r_3202873.jpg" --- # To everyone in this Congress who still refuses to raise… ![“To everyone in this Congress who still refuses to raise the minimum wage, I say this: If you truly believe you could work full-time and support a family on less than $15,000 a year, go try it. If not, vote to give millions of the hardest-working people in America a raise,” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0de/barack-obama-17_america_to-everyone-in-this-congress-who-still-r_3202873.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0de/barack-obama-17_america_to-everyone-in-this-congress-who-still-r_3202873.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0de/barack-obama-17_america_to-everyone-in-this-congress-who-still-r_3202873.jpg) > “To everyone in this Congress who still refuses to raise the minimum wage, I say this: If you truly believe you could work full-time and support a family on less than $15,000 a year, go try it. If not, vote to give millions of the hardest-working people in America a raise,” [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If you cannot survive on a low wage, you should support raising the minimum wage to ensure basic dignity. **In simple terms:** Raise wages for a decent living. Key Takeaway Support fair pay policies. Themes economics social justice labor rights Mood determined urgent Type political motivational When to use this quote - voting - advocacy - community organizing Key Concepts policy income inequality living standards Questions to Reflect On - What evidence supports a wage increase? - How can businesses adapt to higher wages? A Different Perspective Opponents argue higher wages could hurt small businesses. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Congress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congress/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Minimum wage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minimum-wage/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support/) [Vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vote/) ## Related quotes > [Let's also, my friends, let's raise the minimum wage and support the 5 for 15 so you don't live in poverty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/let-s-also-my-friends-let-s-raise-the-minimum-wage-and-support-the-5/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [The American people want to raise the minimum wage. Every poll tells us that. That bill will not get to the floor of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-american-people-want-to-raise-the-minimum-wage-every-poll-tells/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [ \[W\]e have a lot of evidence on what happens when you raise the minimum wage. And the evidence is overwhelmingly positive: Hiking the minimum… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/w-e-have-a-lot-of-evidence-on-what-happens-when-you-raise-the-minimum/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [You can keep raising it, but at some point, everybody who believes in a minimum wage will say, "No, wait a minute. That's too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/you-can-keep-raising-it-but-at-some-point-everybody-who-believes-in-a/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [We should raise the minimum wage so that no one who works full time has to live in poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-should-raise-the-minimum-wage-so-that-no-one-who-works-full-time/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [America must raise an empire of permanent duration, supported upon the grand pillars of Truth, Freedom, and Religion, encouraged by the smiles of Justice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathanael-greene/america-must-raise-an-empire-of-permanent-duration-supported-upon-the/) [Nathanael Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathanael-greene/) > [You cannot be against a raise in the minimum wage and for cutting government assistance and still say that you are worried about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-crumpton/you-cannot-be-against-a-raise-in-the-minimum-wage-and-for-cutting/) [Ron Crumpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-crumpton/) > [I want to applaud those workers rallying to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour. I believe strongly that a great nation will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/i-want-to-applaud-those-workers-rallying-to-raise-the-minimum-wage-to/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [If you raise the minimum wage, you're going to make people more expensive than a machine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/if-you-raise-the-minimum-wage-you-re-going-to-make-people-more/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [Before the government decides to raise the minimum wage, it must consider the effects of the tax and benefits merry-go-round that affects the low-paid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-rees-mogg/before-the-government-decides-to-raise-the-minimum-wage-it-must/) [Jacob Rees-Mogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-rees-mogg/) > [We have to raise the minimum wage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-o-malley/we-have-to-raise-the-minimum-wage/) [Martin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-o-malley/) > [To reward work, to grow the middle class and strengthen the economy, to give millions of Americans the respect they deserve... It's time to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perez/to-reward-work-to-grow-the-middle-class-and-strengthen-the-economy-to/) [Tom Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perez/) > [I'm not sure there's another way to help move more people out of poverty than to raise the minimum wage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hickenlooper/i-m-not-sure-there-s-another-way-to-help-move-more-people-out-of/) [John Hickenlooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hickenlooper/) > [To improve the standard of living for working folks, we have to raise the minimum wage and empower workers to fight for their interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-kander/to-improve-the-standard-of-living-for-working-folks-we-have-to-raise/) [Jason Kander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-kander/) > [The answers to feeding hungry children is not fewer dollars to feed hungry children, it's to do more. It is to raise the minimum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-o-malley/the-answers-to-feeding-hungry-children-is-not-fewer-dollars-to-feed/) [Martin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-o-malley/) ## More by Barack Obama > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/donald-trump-is-temperamentally-unfit/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [What we've said to the girls is: 'If you guys ever decide that you're going to get a tattoo, then mommy and me will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/what-we-ve-said-to-the-girls-is-if-you-guys-ever-decide-that-you-re/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Nobody is listening to your telephone calls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/nobody-is-listening-to-your-telephone-calls/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/all-of-us-take-offense-to-anyone-who-reaps-the-rewards-of-living-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The world is complicated and full of grays, but there's still truth there to be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-world-is-complicated-and-full-of-grays-but-there-s-still-truth/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ That is another theme in the book \[Dreams from My Father\]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams-from-my-father-how-do-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I want to thank the Greek people publicly for their humanitarian response to the crisis of so many migrants and refugees seeking safety in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-thank-the-greek-people-publicly-for-their-humanitarian/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We had a farewell dinner for some of my senior staff, and generally everybody likes to talk about how cool I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-had-a-farewell-dinner-for-some-of-my-senior-staff-and-generally/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ It's good to get fresh legs in \[the White house\]. I think that it refreshes our democracy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-good-to-get-fresh-legs-in-the-white-house-i-think-that-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Believe it or not, entertainment is part of our American diplomacy, it is part of what makes us exceptional, part of what makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/believe-it-or-not-entertainment-is-part-of-our-american-diplomacy-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Explore all 3,624 Barack Obama quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To everyone in this Congress who still refuses to raise the minimum wage, I say this: If you truly believe you could work full-time and support a family on less than $15,000 a year, go try it. 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