House Democrats didn't waste any time. It's only a couple of weeks since they gained control of the House of Representatives, and they have introduced a bill to significantly raise the minimum wage. The bill (titled the "Raise the Wage Act of 2019) was introduced in the House by Reps. Bobby Scott (D-Virginia), Stephanie Murphy (D-Florida), and Mark Pocan (D-Wisconsin), and it has well over 100 co-sponsors in the House.
The bill would raise the minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $15.00 an hour by 2024. It would mandate yearly raises until it reaches $15 in 2024 (see chart above), and would then index minimum wage changes to match changes in the median national wage. The bill would also eliminate the "tipped wage" (currently $2.13 an hour).
Bernie Sanders, and 30 Democrats, have introduced a companion bill in the Senate. You can read the Senate version of the bill here.
I expect the bill will probably pass in the House of Representatives soon. It has the support of Speaker Pelosi, and she will shepherd it through to passage. The problem is with the GOP-controlled Senate. Republican senators are happy with the minimum wage staying at $7.25 an hour -- and some, like Mike Lee of Utah, would like to eliminate it altogether.
This is a smart move by Democrats. The minimum wage needs to be raised, and a significant majority of Americans know that. If the Republicans do kill the bill in the Senate, it will just be one more black mark against them when the 2020 election rolls around.
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