July 18, 2019

Congresswoman Barbara Lee Votes to Pass Raise the Wage Act, Increase Pay for Up to 33 Million American Workers

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee voted to pass the Raise the Wage Act, landmark legislation to gradually increase the federal minimum wage to $15 over six years. According to independent economic analysis, the bill would increase pay for up to 33 million American workers, including 16 million people of color. This bill would also lift 1.3 million Americans out of poverty – including 600,000 children. She released the following statement after the final passage: 

“This is the longest period in history without an increase in the minimum wage. Right now, a minimum wage worker working full-time makes just $15,000 a year. This is a poverty wage. There is not a single place in the U.S. where that minimum wage can cover basic living expenses. That’s unacceptable in the richest nation on Earth. 

“This bill is a great step as Americans across the country are still struggling to make ends meet. It is also an important victory for communities of color who are more likely to earn poverty wages. One in seven Latinx workers and one in five African American workers were paid poverty wages in 2017.  

“Yet, $15 an hour still isn't a living wage for millions of Americans  – including my district in the East Bay.  

“American workers are the foundation of our economy. They should not be forced to live paycheck to paycheck or work two to three jobs, barely keeping a roof over their head.  The Raise the Wage Act makes strong investment in American families and will help millions of families. I am proud to have fought alongside my union brothers and sisters in picket lines, in rallies, and marches in the Fight for $15. I thank them for their bold and committed leadership.” 

The Raise the Wage Act of 2019 would: 

  • Gradually raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 over the next six years, lifting millions of workers out of poverty, stimulating local economies, and restoring the value of the minimum wage; 
  • Index future increases in the federal minimum wage to median wage growth to ensure the value of the minimum wage does not once again erode over time; 
  • Guarantee tipped workers, youth workers, and workers with disabilities are paid at least the full federal minimum wage by phasing out the subminimum wages that allow these workers to be paid below $7.25 an hour.   

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