# Raise the Wage Act

The Raise the Wage Act is a proposed United States law that would increase the federal minimum wage to US$17. Versions of the bill have been introduced in each United States Congress since 2017.

## Background
### Federal Minimum Wage

The minimum wage in the United States is set by U.S. labor law and a range of state and local laws. The first federal minimum wage was created as part of the National Industrial Recovery Act of 1933, signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, but declared unconstitutional. In 1938 the Fair Labor Standards Act established it at $0.25 an hour ($5.19 in 2022 dollars). Its purchasing power peaked in 1968 at $1.60 ($13.46 in 2022 dollars). The Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007 has set the minimum wage at $7.25 per hour since 2009. The real value of the federal minimum wage in 2022 dollars has decreased by 46% since its inflation-adjusted peak in February 1968.

## Provisions
### Minimum Wage Increases

The most recently introduced bill would gradually increase the minimum wage over the 5 years following the bill's passage and ultimately eliminate sub-minimum wages for tipped, disabled, and youth workers. Additionally, once wages reach $17.00/hr, the minimum wage will be pegged to median wage growth so as to prevent the value of the minimum wage from decreasing.
Regular Employees :
| Effective Date | New Minimum Wage |
| The next year on January 1 | $9.50 |
| 1 year later | $11.00 |
| 2 years later | $12.50 |
| 3 years later | $14.00 |
| 4 years later | $15.50 |
| 5 years later | $17.00 |
Employees with Disabilities :
| Effective Date | New Minimum Wage |
| The next year on January 1 | $5.00 |
| 1 year later | $7.50 |
| 2 years later | $10.00 |
| 3 years later | $12.50 |
| 4 years later | $15.50 |
| 5 years later | $17.00 |
Tipped Employees :
| Effective Date | New Minimum Wage |
| The next year on January 1 | $6.00 |
| 1 year later | $8.00 |
| 2 years later | $10.00 |
| 3 years later | $12.00 |
| 4 years later | $13.50 |
| 5 years later | $15.00 |
| 6 years later | $17.00 |
Employees Under 20 Years Old :
| Effective Date | New Minimum Wage |
| The next year on January 1 | $6.00 |
| 1 year later | $7.75 |
| 2 years later | $9.50 |
| 3 years later | $11.25 |
| 4 years later | $13.50 |
| 5 years later | $13.00 |
| 6 years later | $16.50 |
| 7 years later | $17.00 |

## Legislative history

As of April 18, 2024:
| Congress | Short title | Bill number(s) | Date introduced | Sponsor(s) | # of cosponsors | Latest status |
| 115th Congress | Raise the Wage Act | H.R. 15 | May 25, 2017 | Bobby Scott (D-VA) | 171 | Died in committee |
| 115th Congress | Raise the Wage Act | S. 1242 | May 25, 2017 | Bernie Sanders (I-VT) | 31 | Died in committee |
| 116th Congress | Raise the Wage Act | H.R. 582 | January 16, 2019 | Bobby Scott (D-VA) | 205 | Passed the House |
| 116th Congress | Raise the Wage Act | S. 150 | January 16, 2019 | Bernie Sanders (I-VT) | 32 | Died in committee |
| 117th Congress | Raise the Wage Act of 2021 | H.R. 603 | January 28, 2021 | Bobby Scott (D-VA) | 202 | Died in committee |
| 117th Congress | Raise the Wage Act of 2021 | S. 53 | January 26, 2021 | Bernie Sanders (I-VT) | 37 | Died in committee |
| 118th Congress | Raise the Wage Act of 2023 | H.R.4889 | July 25, 2023 | Bobby Scott (D-VA) | 172 | Referred to Committees of Jurisdiction |
| 118th Congress | Raise the Wage Act of 2023 | S.2488 | July 25, 2023 | Bernie Sanders (I-VT) | 31 | Referred to Committees of Jurisdiction |