Gray TV host Greta Van Susteren challenged Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX) to explain how Americans can survive on the federal minimum wage, which is currently set at $7.25/hour.
November 7, 2021

Gray TV host Greta Van Susteren challenged Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX) to explain how Americans can survive on the federal minimum wage, which is currently set at $7.25/hour.

Brady was asked the question while appearing on Full Court Press over the weekend.

"I don't think you can ignore the question of wages, minimum wage," Van Susteren explained. "How can anyone possibly survive on the minimum wage and even the one where some companies are raising it to $15? I mean, how do these people survive?"

"Right now, the truth is wages are going up," Brady replied, deflecting the question. "The problem is prices are going up faster so even with higher wages, a lot of families are falling behind. I think that's why Covid and inflation are now tied as the biggest worries for Americans."

Van Susteren pressed: "Isn't that why Build Back Better has some provisions like paid family leave or things like that to sort of boost the fact that there may be a greater demand [for] raising wages above minimum wage but these families have so many financial pressures on them that effectively they're below minimum wage?"

But Brady responded by complaining that President Joe Biden's agenda could raise the cost of child care for more wealthy families.

"I think the solution here is a strong economy, better jobs, rising wages," he insisted, "rather than more government checks and more government benefits. For example, the paid family leave puts the IRS in charge of your medical and time off, which I think is a horrible idea."

"Some of their programs, like on child care, actually raise the price of child care on families making more than $67,000 a year," Brady added. "So they're going to jack up the wages for child care workers but make it more expensive for average families. It just doesn't make sense."

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