Legislation would boost wages for 38 million Americans, increase federal minimum wage to $12 per hour by 2020

Washington (May 1, 2015) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) joined other Senate Democrats in introducing 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. Senator Markey was joined by 32 Democratic co-sponsors to introduce the Raise the Wage Act, legislation that would also phase out the $2.13 tipped wage and would index the minimum wage to median wages.

“Working a full-time job should bring opportunity, security and dignity, but our families are struggling in poverty and frustration,” said Senator Markey. “We need to raise the minimum wage to at least $12 by 2020 to ensure that those who have been trying to climb the ladder into the middle class have a fighting chance. When we raise the wage, we raise hope, justice and prosperity for our working families.” 

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 co-sponsors of the Raise the Wage Act: Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Bob Casey (D-Penn.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.).

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