President Barack Obama is coming to Connecticut next week as part of his effort to get Congress to increase the federal minimum wage.
The White House retweeted Gov. Dannel Malloy on Wednesday and confirmed that the President will be coming to a “Raise the Wage” rally, which is set to take place in Hartford on March 5. More details on Obama’s visit are expected to be released in the coming days.
Excited to welcome President Obama to CT on Wed for a #RaiseTheWage event. RT if you agree America deserves a raise. pic.twitter.com/aGr8uFG8Uh
— Governor Dan Malloy (@GovMalloyOffice) February 26, 2014
Obama and other Democrats across the country — including Malloy — have been calling for an increase in the federal minimum wage from $7.25 per hour to $10.10 per hour.
Rep. Rosa DeLauro, a Democrat whose district includes part of southwest Connecticut, is backing an unusual strategy in the House of Representatives to get a vote on the proposal.
Connecticut’s minimum wage is higher than the current federal rate. A law that took effect this year raised it to $8.70 per hour and it’s slated to rise to $9 per hour on Jan. 1, 2015.