(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Today, Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08) voted in favor of the Raise the Wage Act, landmark legislation to gradually increase the federal minimum wage to $15 over six years, which passed the House by a vote of 231-199. According to independent economic analysis, the bill would increase pay for up to 33 million American workers, including nearly 44,000 workers in Maryland’s 8^th Congressional District.

The Raise the Wage Act is an important step toward delivering on House Democrats’ promise to restore the value of work and raise wages for American workers. 

“All hardworking Americans deserve to make a living wage,” said Rep. Raskin. “I proudly voted to Raise the Wage today to give tens of millions of American workers a long overdue pay increase so that they can make ends meet and provide for themselves and their families.  Despite the constant obstructionism of the GOP and their determination to serve no one but the wealthy, we continue to make dramatic legislative progress. What will Mitch McConnell and the Senate Republicans do?  America is waiting.” 

After more than 10 years without an increase in the federal minimum wage – the longest stretch in history – low-wage workers have suffered a 17 percent pay cut due to inflation. There is no place in America where a full-time worker making the federal minimum wage can afford the basic necessities for themselves and their families.

According to the Congressional Budget Office’s review of a similar proposal the Raise the Wage Act would lift 1.3 million Americans out of poverty, including 600,000 children.

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 minimum wage;
• Index future increases in the federal minimum wage to median wage growth to ensure the value of 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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