(CNN) - Vice President Joe Biden continued the Obama administration's call for an increase in the minimum wage for all workers.
Biden's Saturday address comes after President Barack Obama announced in February that in 2015 businesses with new or renewed federal contracts will have to pay their minimum wage workers $10.10 an hour.
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Obama mandated the increase through executive order. It will likely affect fewer than 500,000 workers, but the hope is it will spur Congress to approve the same increase for all workers.
In his address, Biden urged Americans to call their representatives in Congress who oppose the minimum wage increase.
"The big difference between giving a raise in the minimum wage instead of a tax break to the very wealthy is the minimum wage worker will go out and spend every penny of it because they're living on the edge," he said.
"They’ll spend it in the local economy. They need it to pay their electric bill, put gas in their automobile, to buy fundamental necessities. And this generates economic growth in their communities."
Biden hasn't given the White House weekly address since 2011 when he urged Congress to pass the American Jobs Act.
CNN's Dana Davidsen, Paul Steinhauser and CNNMoney's Jeanne Sahadi contributed to this report.