Wyden, Merkley want to hike minimum wage to $15 by 2024

Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., this week joined House and Senate colleagues to introduce legislation to gradually raise the minimum wage to $15 in 2024.

The Raise Wage Act of 2019 would also index future minimum wage increases to median wage growth and ensure all workers are paid at least the full federal minimum wage by phasing out the subminimum wages for tipped workers, youth workers, and workers with disabilities.

“There are hardworking Americans who just simply aren’t making enough money to make ends meet. That’s unacceptable,” Wyden said. “Oregon has already blazed a trail by taking concrete steps to lift the minimum wage in our state. Now it’s time for the federal government to take action and ensure a living wage for all Americans.”

“I live in the same working class neighborhood that I grew up in, and my neighbors are just like the families across Oregon and across America who are struggling to stay afloat on jobs that pay minimum wage,” Merkley said. “We all do better when we all do better, and we can start tackling the destructive opportunity gap that is eating away at our economy by raising the federal minimum wage. Nobody should work full time and live in poverty in America.”

The Raise the Wage Act was introduced with 181 House cosponsors and 31 Senate cosponsors.

A one-page summary of the legislation can be found here. A section-by-section summary can be found here. Legislative text can be found here.