Illinois Congresswoman Takes on Minimum-Wage Challenge

(Undated) -- For the next seven days U-S Representative Jan Schakowsky of Illinois will have just 77-dollars to spend on food, medicine, transportation and other daily necessities. She's among those taking part in the "Live the Wage Challenge," and will live for one week on 77-dollars, a federal minimum wage budget after taxes and housing expenses. She says it's important for high-profile people such as members of Congress to draw attention to how difficult it is to live on such little money. It's estimated that over five percent, or three-point-eight million, hourly workers are paid at or below the federal minimum wage. Schakowsky is among those supporting efforts to raise it to 10 dollars-10 cents an hour. Illinois is among the 13 states with a higher minimum wage than the federal level. It's currently eight-dollars-25-cents an hour and the question of whether the state should raise it to 10-dollars an hour will go before voters in November under a nonbinding referendum.