The minimum wage in America has remained stagnant for far too long, while the cost of living has continued to rise. July 24 marks the seventh anniversary of the last federal minimum wage increase, to just $7.25 an hour.
Millions of Americans work 40 hours or more every week and still can’t earn a living wage. This is unacceptable. We cannot achieve strong economic growth unless all working families have the opportunity to succeed. As a nation, we must work together to ensure minimum wage policies are providing a living wage across the country — and right now, too many families are getting left behind.
That’s why I helped introduce the Raise the Wage Act (H.R. 2150) to increase the federal minimum wage, giving nearly 40 million hard-working Americans a raise, including the parents of 18 million children. This bill would also index future increases to the median wage and gradually eliminate the tipped minimum wage, which is just $2.13 an hour.
We need an economy that works for everyone – not just the wealthy. It’s time for Congress to stand up for working families and strengthen the middle class.
As always, my office is here to serve you. If you have questions or comments about the topics that matter most to you, I encourage you to contact me through my website. You may also keep up-to-date on what I’m doing by following me on social media. If you need assistance dealing with a federal agency, such as the IRS or the VA, please do not hesitate to contact my Bothell office at (425) 485-0085.
