The Raise the Wage Act would increase the federal minimum wage to $17 an hour — Here’s what to know
💰 Congressional Democrats, led by Sen. Bernie Sanders, introduced the Raise the Wage Act to Congress on Tuesday, aiming to raise the national minimum wage to $17 an hour over five years and eliminate subminimum wages for tipped, disabled, and youth workers over seven years. The current federal minimum wage of $7.25, last increased in July 2009, would more than double by 2030. The legislation faced a party-line vote during the weekend. Sanders cited that over 60% of workers live paycheck to paycheck. Previously, a $15 minimum wage proposal was included in President Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief plan in 2021 but failed to pass. The Raise the Wage Act has the support of Rep. Robert C. Scott (D-Va.), 32 Senators, 142 Congressional Representatives, and various organizations. The restaurant industry has concerns over job losses and the elimination of the tipped wage, currently at $2.13.
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