Watch CBS News

Rubio Opposes Minimum Wage Law

WASHINGTON (CBSMiami) – Senator Marco Rubio cast a controversial vote against the Violence Against Women Act Tuesday and followed that on Wednesday by telling CBS This Morning he doesn't support having a minimum wage law.

"I don't think a minimum wage law works," Senator Rubio said. "I want people to make a lot more than $9. Nine dollars is not enough. The problem is that you can't do that by mandating it in the minimum wage laws."

Rubio's comments came after President Barack Obama said Tuesday in his annual State of the Union address that he wanted the minimum wage raised to $9 per hour. Rubio said instead he wants to create a pro-business environment that created "good-paying jobs," according to huffingtonpost.com.

By late Wednesday morning, Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-Ohio) had also come out against any increase in the minimum wage.

"When you raise the price of employment, guess what happens? You get less of it," Boehner said. "At a time when Americans are still asking the question 'Where are the Jobs?' why would we want to make it harder for small employees to hire people."

Currently, the minimum wage is set at $7.25 per hour and yields a yearly salary for a full-time worker $14,500 per year. The total salary is well below the cost of living and below the poverty line for a family. Obama suggested in addition to an increase to index the minimum wage to inflation.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.