Dianne Feinstein
By: Briana Inman
Biography
Born in San Francisco, Calif., June 22, 1933
Attended the San Francisco public schools and graduated from the Convent of the Sacred Heart High School in 1951 and then graduated, Stanford University in 1955.
As California's senior Senator, Dianne Feinstein has built a reputation as an independent voice, working with both Democrats and Republicans to find common-sense solutions to the problems facing California and the Nation
Since her election to the Senate in 1992, Senator Feinstein has worked in helping to strengthen the nation's security both here and abroad, combat crime and violence, battle cancer, and protect natural resources in California and across the country.
She was the first woman President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, the first woman Mayor of San Francisco, the first woman elected Senator of California, and the first woman member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Senator Feinstein became the first female Senator to assume the chairmanship of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.
The fight over minimum wage
- Minimum wage laws can create higher wages than companies are willing to pay for specific employee services.
- Minimum wage increases often bring unskilled or lower-level employee wages closer to the pay for individuals with technical or expert abilities.
- If companies are unable to increase prices or reduce expenses, they may face liquidation or bankruptcy as a result from the wage increase.
- With minimum wage, the need for public assistance is lowered and this reduces the tax burden on the community and the state.
- With a minimum wage in place, a small business owner knows what he will be expected to pay per hour and he can create new jobs with his company based on this budgeting information
- The minimum wage makes the hiring process easier for young or unskilled workers and employer
Views on Minimum Wage
U.S. Senator Dianne the Feinstein today called for increasing the federal minimum wage to help millions of working Americans.
For work performed on or after July 24, 2009, the federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.
“The evidence is clear: Raising the minimum wage adds stability to many businesses and to the economy. Higher wages decrease turnover, boost worker loyalty and lower hiring and training costs.”
“I would have preferred that the Senate consider a straight minimum-wage increase. But that is not what is before us. What is before us is an opportunity to improve the lives of millions of American workers. It is long overdue.”