'True mask off moment': GOP lawmaker says some jobs shouldn't pay workers enough to live

Pennsylvania House Republican Leader Rep. Jesse Topper has faced criticism for his remarks on the House floor opposing livable wages.

"Not every wage, and please hear me clearly on this, is designed to be a livable wage," he said during his speech.

His comments were shared on Wednesday by Democratic State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta on the social platform X, with the caption, "True mask off moment."

Other social media users also criticized the lawmaker.

Writer Dr. Allison Wiltz said: "They said the quiet part out loud. They to maintain a system where some are subservient to others, yet suffer in poverty."

Interestingly, Topper's comments come just a day after a Republican in the U.S. Senate introduced a bill to increase the federal minimum wage for the first time in nearly two decades.

On Tuesday, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) teamed up with Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) to propose legislation aimed at boosting the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour — a stance rarely embraced by members of the GOP.

Their proposal, called the Higher Wages for American Workers Act, would implement a $15 minimum wage starting January 1 of the year following its passage.

After that, the rate would increase each year in line with inflation.

The current federal minimum wage of $7.25 has remained unchanged since 2009. Although Democratic leaders and presidents have repeatedly pushed to increase it over the years, their efforts have consistently fallen short in the Senate, unable to gather the 60 votes needed to overcome filibuster rules.

Watch the video of Topper's remarks below, or by clicking this link.