Legislation Would Increase Federal Minimum Wage To $12 Per Hour By 2020 / Raise The Wage Act Would Boost Wages For Nearly 38 Million Americans, Including Almost 1.25 Million Pennsylvanians
Washington, DC – Today, Senator U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), joined by 33 Senators, introduced a bill to raise the minimum wage to $12 by 2020 to help more families make ends meet, expand economic opportunity, and help build an economy that works for all families, not just the wealthiest few. The Raise the Wage Act would also phase out the $2.13 tipped wage and would index the minimum wage to median wages.
“It has been nearly eight years since Congress last passed a minimum wage increase. It’s time to deliver for working families and raise the wage,” Senator Casey said. “It’s important to remember that many of those paid the minimum wage are single mothers who are the sole providers for their household. Raising the wage and indexing it will have a substantial impact for these workers and their children.”
In Pennsylvania, about 1.24 million people would directly get a raise as a result of this legislation with a total of nearly 1.48 million workers would benefit. The average annual raise would be $3,100.
In the House of Representatives, Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA) introduced a companion bill to raise the minimum wage to $12 by 2020.
Senate Cosponsors of the Raise the Wage Act: Patty Murray (D-WA) Dick Durbin (D-IL), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ed Markey (D-MA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Gary Peters (D-MI), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Harry Reid (D-NV), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Al Franken (D-MN), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tom Udall (D-NM), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
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