Democrats offer plan to raise federal minimum wage to $15 per hour
With the federal minimum wage of $7.25 cents an hour unchanged for ten years, Democrats on Wednesday unveiled a plan in Congress to more than double that pay rate over a six year period, arguing it's past time for lawmakers to make it easier for working Americans to earn enough money to support their families.
"No person working full-time in America should be living in poverty," said Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA), who will lead the charge for a higher minimum wage in the House as chairman of the Education and Labor Committee.
"The current $7.25 an hour federal minimum wage is a starvation wage," said Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT).
"Increasing the federal minimum wage is the right thing to do," said Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-FL). "I believe this legislation would provide a boost to businesses and the broader economy."
While the Congress has not touched the minimum wage since Democrats pushed through an increase in 2007, individual states have taken a different approach, as now 29 states have a higher minimum wage than the feds.
Just last year, voters in Missouri approved raising the minimum wage to $12/hour by 2023; Arkansas voters approved a minimum wage going up to $11 by 2021
"The last time we were in charge, one of the first things we did was raise the minimum wage," said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), referring to a 2007 law approved by a Democratic Congress and signed by President George W. Bush.
"It was not enough then," Hoyer said of the $7.25 per hour federal wage. "It is clearly not enough now."
The $15 per hour wage - known by some groups as the "Fight for 15" - certainly has a good chance at getting through the House, now that Democrats in charge; but it faces an uphill fight in the U.S. Senate.
"A living wage for all workers helps business, families, and the economy," said Rep. Mike Doyle (D-PA).
"The steady increase is good for workers, good for business, and good for the economy," said Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT). "No American working full time should live in poverty."
A section-by-section review of the bill can be found here.
The actual legislative text is here.