Raja Unveils Working Families Agenda

Raja Krishnamoorthi, Democratic candidate for Congress in Illinois’ 8th District, today unveiled a five-pronged “Working Families Agenda” to help more Americans achieve economic security and the middle-class.
“While the numbers say that we’re finally recovering from the Great Recession, the working families I talk to are finding it harder and harder to get ahead,” Krishnamoorthi said. “We need policies from Washington that make sure hard work is rewarded and economic security is within reach of every family across our land.”

Krishnamoorthi’s plan would help more working families earn a living wage, qualify for overtime pay, receive paid maternity leave, earn paid sick leave and obtain tax benefits to help with the cost of raising children.

Specifically, the plan would:

· Raise the federal minimum wage to $10.10 an hour and link future increases to inflation;
· Enact into law President Obama’s executive order that workers earning less than $50,000 automatically qualify for overtime pay;
· Require paid maternity leave for all women in the workforce;
· Grant workers the ability to earn up to seven days of paid leave annually when the worker or family members have medical needs;
· Expand the federal child tax credit to help working families with the cost of raising children.

“As a small businessman, I know that what’s good for our workers is good for our company,” said Krishnamoorthi. “We need to make sure that hard work is rewarded and that workers with families can achieve a middle-class life.”

“Our current Congress seems more focused on helping out the wealthiest Americans and biggest corporations than in promoting the bedrock of our country – America’s middle-class. I’m running for Congress to put working families first.”

More than 70 Democratic leaders and activists throughout the Chicago suburbs and Illinois are backing Krishnamoorthi for Congress, including U.S. Reps. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL 9th District) and Luis Gutiérrez (D-IL 4th District). Other key Raja supporters include Illinois State Senators Dan Kotowski and Dave Koehler.

“Raja is the best choice to succeed Tammy Duckworth in Congress,” Schakowsky said. “Raja will work hard in Washington for gender equality and economic security for working families.”

Krishnamoorthi, 41, currently serves as President of Sivananthan Labs and Episolar, Inc., small businesses that sell products in the national security and renewable energy industries. He is a co-founder of InSPIRE, a non-profit organization that provides training to Illinois students and veterans in solar technology, and was formerly Vice-Chairman of the Illinois Innovation Council, whose mission is to promote innovative technologies that support economic growth and job creation in Illinois.

Krishnamoorthi resides in Schaumburg with his wife, Priya, and their two sons.