exorbitant by some, that it's going to hurt the economy. The truth is just the opposite. Raising the federal minimum wage gradually to $15 an hour will strengthen the american economy because minimum wage workers are most likely to spend the money they get on the necessities of life, as soon as they get it. Food, clothing, housing. Last week one of our republican colleagues gave a speech and said that he worked for $6 an hour when he was a kid. And he's opposed to the $15 an hour minimum wage. Well, if you took that six bucks when he was -- just matched it with inflation, it would be up over $15 an hour today. Reminiscing about the good old days of $6 an hour is only done by people who don't have to live on $6 an hour. Contrary to popular misconceptions, most minimum wage workers are not tabliers, according to the economy policy -- economic policy institute, 59% of workers who would benefit from the federal minimum wage are women. Women. They're taking a beating in this pandemic. Staying home to watch the kids who can't go to school, trying to deal with day care that's closed down, losing their own jobs. That's the reality. Many mothers, two-thirds of them are the sole or primary bread winners of their family count on the minimum wage. Nearly one in four workers who would receive a raise under $15 minimum wage are black or latino women. During this pandemic america has relied on minimum-wage workers to do theard work and dangerous work in the pandemic. You want to know the real pandemic heroes? You want to reduce poverty and raise opportunity in america? Pay workers a living wage. Allow workers to share the economic prosperity they are creating with their dedication and labor. Madam president, at this moment we may not have a path but I hope we can find one. It is time for us to raise the minimum wage, to give the american workers the real wage they need to survive and to show that we really do value the dignity of work. I yield the floor. Mr. Leahy: madam president. The presiding officer: the senator from vermont. Mr. Leahy: madam president, I want to associate myself with the words of the distinguished deputy leader. His -- nobody has said it but in the meantime, we've got better. Nobody could. To get up and vote. Madam president, I'm going to put in a quorum call for just a minute and I'll take it off. I subject the absence of a quorum -- I suggest the absence clerk will call the roll. Of a quorum. The presiding officer: the quorum call: mr. Leahy: madam president. The presiding officer: the senator from vermont. Mr. Leahy: madam president, I ask consent the call of the qurm be dispensed with -- of the quorum be dispensed with. The presiding officer: without earlier this month, actually for objection. Mr. Leahy: madam president, the first time in our -- or earlier last month I should say, in february, for the first time in our nation's history, the senate convened as a court of impeachment to try former president for high crime and misdemeanor. And for five days every member of the senate was here to hear presentations and arguments from an extraordinarily talented group of congressmen and congress women represented in the house of representatives. We also heard from counsel for former president donald trump. After listen respecting to the compelling evidence presented by the house managers option i, I voted to convict president trump for inciting the capitol rye outs on january 6. I'll should have a lot more to say about my vote to convict the former president at in a later statement. Today though I'm going to speak about the unique role I had in