Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) teamed up with Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT) to fight for boosting the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour and index it for inflation.
“For decades, working Americans have seen their wages flatline. One major culprit of this is the failure of the federal minimum wage to keep up with the economic reality facing hardworking Americans every day. This bipartisan legislation would ensure that workers across America benefit from higher wages,” Hawley said in a written statement about their legislation, the Higher Wages for American Workers Act.
Welch and Hawley’s proposed legislation that would tie increases to the federal minimum wage to increases of the Consumer Price Index.
The bipartisan lawmakers said in a release that, when accounting for inflation, the federal minimum wage is lower than any point since the 1940s.
“We’re in the midst of a severe affordability crisis, with families in red and blue states alike struggling to afford necessities like housing and groceries. A stagnant federal minimum wage only adds fuel to the fire. Every hardworking American deserves a living wage that helps put a roof over their head and food on the table–$7.25 an hour doesn’t even come close,” the Vermont Democrat remarked.
“Times have changed, and working families deserve a wage that reflects today’s financial reality. I’m proud to lead this bipartisan effort to raise the minimum wage nationwide to help more folks make ends meet,” the senator continued.
Sean Moran is a policy reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on X @SeanMoran3
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