I 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 15 

To provide for increases in the Federal minimum wage, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 25, 2017 

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia (for himself, Mr. ELLISON, Ms. PELOSI, Mr. HOYER, 

Mr. CLYBURN, Mr. CROWLEY, Ms. SA ́NCHEZ, Mr. POCAN, Mr. GRIJALVA, 

Mr. BEN RAY LUJA ́N of New Mexico, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. SWALWELL of 

California, Mrs. BUSTOS, Mr. CICILLINE, Mr. JEFFRIES, Ms. NORTON, 

Ms. MOORE, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. CLAY, Ms. VELA ́ZQUEZ, Mr. SABLAN, Mr. 

TAKANO, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. PALLONE, Mr. COHEN, Ms. WILSON of 

Florida, Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York, Ms. LEE, Mr. 

KHANNA, Mr. NORCROSS, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Ms. DEGETTE, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr. PASCRELL, Mr. GARAMENDI, Mr. PAYNE, Mrs. 

NAPOLITANO, Mr. GUTIE ́RREZ, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mrs. DEMINGS, Mr. 

SERRANO, Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. RASKIN, Mrs. WATSON

COLEMAN, Ms. JAYAPAL, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts, 

Mr. CAPUANO, Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Mr. HASTINGS, Mr. RUSH, 

Mr. CUMMINGS, Ms. HANABUSA, Mr. COURTNEY, Ms. CLARKE of New 

York, Mr. WELCH, Mr. HUFFMAN, Mr. DESAULNIER, Ms. DELBENE, 

Ms. SPEIER, Mr. NOLAN, Mr. SOTO, Mr. LARSEN of Washington, Mr. 

NADLER, Ms. BONAMICI, Ms. FUDGE, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, Ms. ESHOO, 

Ms. LOFGREN, Mr. LANGEVIN, Mr. THOMPSON of California, Ms. JUDY

CHU of California, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Mr. AGUILAR, Mr. VISCLOSKY, Mr. CASTRO of Texas, Mr. KIHUEN, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Mr. 

SHERMAN, Mr. TED LIEU of California, Mrs. LOWEY, Ms. MAXINE

WATERS of California, Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York, Mr. 

KRISHNAMOORTHI, Mr. POLIS, Mr. LEVIN, Mr. RYAN of Ohio, Ms. 

MCCOLLUM, Mr. DELANEY, Mr. SARBANES, Ms. TITUS, Ms. SHEA-PORTER, Mr. RUIZ, Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania, Mr. TONKO, 

Mr. LOWENTHAL, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. HIGGINS of New York, Mr. 

CA ́RDENAS, Mrs. BEATTY, Mr. CARTWRIGHT, Mr. YARMUTH, Mr. 

CARBAJAL, Mr. BEYER, Ms. PINGREE, Mrs. DAVIS of California, Mr. 

BROWN of Maryland, Miss RICE of New York, Ms. ADAMS, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Ms. BASS, Ms. BARRAGA ́N, Mr. AL GREEN of Texas, Mrs. 

LAWRENCE, Mr. BUTTERFIELD, Mr. GALLEGO, Mr. VEASEY, Mr. LEWIS

of Georgia, Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas, Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania, Mr. 

ENGEL, Ms. MENG, Mrs. DINGELL, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. SIRES, Mr. 


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VARGAS, Ms. GABBARD, Mrs. TORRES, Mr. MOULTON, Mr. KILMER, Mr. 

PANETTA, Mr. PRICE of North Carolina, Mr. SMITH of Washington, Ms. 

ESTY of Connecticut, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Ms. 

FRANKEL of Florida, Ms. MATSUI, Mr. CARSON of Indiana, Ms. KELLY

of Illinois, Mr. PETERS, Mr. LARSON of Connecticut, Mr. BRENDAN F. 

BOYLE of Pennsylvania, Mr. HECK, Ms. SEWELL of Alabama, Mr. 

EVANS, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Mr. CRIST, Mr. QUIGLEY, Mr. 

WALZ, Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER, and Mrs. MURPHY of Florida) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 

A BILL 

To provide for increases in the Federal minimum wage, and 

for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Raise the Wage Act’’. 

5 SEC. 2. MINIMUM WAGE INCREASES. 

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 6(a)(1) of the Fair Labor 

7 Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 206(a)(1)) is amended 

8 to read as follows: 

9 ‘‘(1) except as otherwise provided in this sec10 tion, not less than— 

11 ‘‘(A) $9.25 an hour, beginning on the ef12 fective date under section 7 of the Raise the 

13 Wage Act; 

14 ‘‘(B) $10.10 an hour, beginning 1 year 

15 after such effective date; 


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1 ‘‘(C) $11.00 an hour, beginning 2 years 

2 after such effective date; 

3 ‘‘(D) $12.00 an hour, beginning 3 years 

4 after such effective date; 

5 ‘‘(E) $13.00 an hour, beginning 4 years 

6 after such effective date; 

7 ‘‘(F) $13.50 an hour, beginning 5 years 

8 after such effective date; 

9 ‘‘(G) $14.25 an hour, beginning 6 years 

10 after such effective date; 

11 ‘‘(H) $15.00 an hour, beginning 7 years 

12 after such effective date; and 

13 ‘‘(I) beginning on the date that is 8 years 

14 after such effective date, and annually there15 after, the amount determined by the Secretary 

16 under subsection (h);’’. 

17 (b) DETERMINATION BASED ON INCREASE IN THE

18 MEDIAN HOURLY WAGE OF ALL EMPLOYEES.—Section 

19 6 of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 

20 206) is amended by adding at the end the following: 

21 ‘‘(h)(1) Not later than each date that is 90 days be22 fore a new minimum wage determined under subsection 

23 (a)(1)(I) is to take effect, the Secretary shall determine 

24 the minimum wage to be in effect under this subsection 


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1 for each period described in subsection (a)(1)(I). The wage 

2 determined under this subsection for a year shall be— 

3 ‘‘(A) not less than the amount in effect under 

4 subsection (a)(1) on the date of such determination; 

5 ‘‘(B) increased from such amount by the annual 

6 percentage increase, if any, in the median hourly 

7 wage of all employees as determined by the Bureau 

8 of Labor Statistics; and 

9 ‘‘(C) rounded to the nearest multiple of $0.05. 

10 ‘‘(2) In calculating the annual percentage increase in 

11 the median hourly wage of all employees for purposes of 

12 paragraph (1)(B), the Secretary, through the Bureau of 

13 Labor Statistics, shall compile data on the hourly wages 

14 of all employees to determine such a median hourly wage 

15 and compare such median hourly wage for the most recent 

16 year for which data are available with the median hourly 

17 wage determined for the preceding year.’’. 

18 SEC. 3. TIPPED EMPLOYEES. 

19 (a) BASE MINIMUM WAGE FOR TIPPED EMPLOY20 EES.—Section 3(m)(1) of the Fair Labor Standards Act 

21 of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 203(m)(1)) is amended to read as fol22 lows: 

23 ‘‘(1) the cash wage paid such employee, which 

24 for purposes of such determination shall be not less 

25 than— 


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1 ‘‘(A) for the 1-year period beginning on 

2 the effective date under section 7 of the Raise 

3 the Wage Act, $4.15 an hour; 

4 ‘‘(B) for each succeeding 1-year period 

5 until the hourly wage under this paragraph 

6 equals the wage in effect under section 6(a)(1) 

7 for such period, an hourly wage equal to the 

8 amount determined under this paragraph for 

9 the preceding year, increased by the lesser of— 

10 ‘‘(i) $1.15; or 

11 ‘‘(ii) the amount necessary for the 

12 wage in effect under this paragraph to 

13 equal the wage in effect under section 

14 6(a)(1) for such period, rounded to the 

15 nearest multiple of $0.05; and 

16 ‘‘(C) for each succeeding 1-year period 

17 after the increase made pursuant to subpara18 graph (B)(ii), the minimum wage in effect 

19 under section 6(a)(1); and’’. 

20 (b) TIPS RETAINED BY EMPLOYEES.—Section 3(m) 

21 of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 

22 203(m)) is amended— 

23 (1) in the second sentence of the matter fol24 lowing paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘of this sub25 section, and all tips received by such employee have 


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1 been retained by the employee’’ and inserting ‘‘of 

2 this subsection. Any employee shall have the right to 

3 retain any tips received by such employee’’; and 

4 (2) by adding at the end the following: ‘‘An em5 ployer shall inform each employee of the right and 

6 exception provided under the preceding sentence.’’. 

7 (c) SCHEDULED REPEAL OF SEPARATE MINIMUM

8 WAGE FOR TIPPED EMPLOYEES.— 

9 (1) TIPPED EMPLOYEES.—Section 3(m) of the 

10 Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 

11 203(m)), as amended by subsections (a) and (b), is 

12 further amended by striking the sentence beginning 

13 with ‘‘In determining the wage an employer is re14 quired to pay a tipped employee,’’ and all that fol15 lows through ‘‘of this subsection.’’ and inserting 

16 ‘‘The wage required to be paid to a tipped employee 

17 shall be the wage set forth in section 6(a)(1).’’. 

18 (2) PUBLICATION OF NOTICE.—Section 6(i) of 

19 the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 

20 206(i)), as added by section 5, is amended by strik21 ing ‘‘or in accordance with subparagraph (B) or (C) 

22 of section 3(m)(1) (as applicable),’’. 

23 (3) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made 

24 by paragraphs (1) and (2) shall take effect on the 

25 date that is one day after the date on which the 


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1 hourly wage under section 3(m)(1)(C) of the Fair 

2 Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 

3 203(m)(1)(C)), as amended by subsection (a), takes 

4 effect. 

5 SEC. 4. NEWLY HIRED EMPLOYEES WHO ARE LESS THAN 20 

6 YEARS OLD. 

7 (a) BASE MINIMUM WAGE FOR NEWLY HIRED EM8 PLOYEES WHO ARE LESS THAN 20 YEARS OLD.—Section 

9 6(g)(1) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 

10 U.S.C. 206(g)(1)) is amended by striking ‘‘a wage which 

11 is not less than $4.25 an hour.’’ and inserting the fol12 lowing: ‘‘a wage at a rate that is not less than— 

13 ‘‘(A) for the 1-year period beginning on 

14 the effective date under section 7 of the Raise 

15 the Wage Act, $5.00 an hour; 

16 ‘‘(B) for each succeeding 1-year period 

17 until the hourly wage under this paragraph 

18 equals the wage in effect under section 6(a)(1) 

19 for such period, an hourly wage equal to the 

20 amount determined under this paragraph for 

21 the preceding year, increased by the lesser of— 

22 ‘‘(i) $1.05; or 

23 ‘‘(ii) the amount necessary for the 

24 wage in effect under this paragraph to 

25 equal the wage in effect under section 


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1 6(a)(1) for such period, rounded to the 

2 nearest multiple of $0.05; and 

3 ‘‘(C) for each succeeding 1-year period 

4 after the increase made pursuant to subpara5 graph (B)(ii), the minimum wage in effect 

6 under section 6(a)(1).’’. 

7 (b) SCHEDULED REPEAL OF SEPARATE MINIMUM

8 WAGE FOR NEWLY HIRED EMPLOYEES WHO ARE LESS

9 THAN 20 YEARS OLD.— 

10 (1) IN GENERAL.—Section 6(g)(1) of the Fair 

11 Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 

12 206(g)(1)), as amended by subsection (a), shall be 

13 repealed effective on the date provided in paragraph 

14 (3). 

15 (2) PUBLICATION OF NOTICE.—Section 6(i) of 

16 the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 

17 206(i)), as amended by section 3(c)(2), is further 

18 amended by striking ‘‘or subparagraph (B) or (C) of 

19 section 6(g)(1) (as applicable),’’. 

20 (3) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The repeal and amend21 ment made by paragraphs (1) and (2), respectively, 

22 shall take effect on the date that is one day after the 

23 date on which the hourly wage under section 

24 6(g)(1)(C) of the Fair Labor Standards Act, as 

25 amended by subsection (a), takes effect. 


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1 SEC. 5. PUBLICATION OF NOTICE. 

2 Section 6 of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 

3 (29 U.S.C. 206), as amended by the preceding sections, 

4 is further amended by adding at the end the following: 

5 ‘‘(i) Not later than 60 days prior to the effective date 

6 of any increase in the required wage determined under 

7 subsection (h), or in accordance with subparagraph (B) 

8 or (C) of section 3(m)(1) (as applicable), section 

9 14(c)(1)(A) (as applicable), or subparagraph (B) or (C) 

10 of section 6(g)(1) (as applicable), the Secretary shall pub11 lish in the Federal Register and on the website of the De12 partment of Labor a notice announcing each increase in 

13 such required wage.’’. 

14 SEC. 6. PROMOTING ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY FOR IN15 DIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES. 

16 (a) WAGES.— 

17 (1) TRANSITION TO FAIR WAGES FOR INDIVID18 UALS WITH DISABILITIES.—Subparagraph (A) of 

19 section 14(c)(1) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 

20 1938 (29 U.S.C. 214(c)(1)) is amended to read as 

21 follows: 

22 ‘‘(A) at a rate that equals, or exceeds, the 

23 greater of— 

24 ‘‘(i)(I) $4.25 an hour, beginning 1 

25 year after the date the wage rate specified 

26 in section 6(a)(1)(A) takes effect; 


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1 ‘‘(II) $6.25 an hour, beginning 2 

2 years after such date; 

3 ‘‘(III) $8.25 an hour, beginning 3 

4 years after such date; 

5 ‘‘(IV) $10.25 an hour, beginning 4 

6 years after such date; 

7 ‘‘(V) $12.25 an hour, beginning 5 

8 years after such date; and 

9 ‘‘(VI) the wage rate in effect under 

10 section 6(a)(1), on the date that is 6 years 

11 after the date the wage specified in section 

12 6(a)(1)(A) takes effect; or 

13 ‘‘(ii) if applicable, the wage rate in ef14 fect on the day before the date of enact15 ment of the Raise the Wage Act for the 

16 employment, under a special certificate 

17 issued under this paragraph, of the indi18 vidual for whom the wage rate is being de19 termined under this subparagraph,’’. 

20 (2) PROHIBITION ON NEW SPECIAL CERTIFI21 CATES; SUNSET.—Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor 

22 Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 214(c)) (as 

23 amended by paragraph (1)) is further amended by 

24 adding at the end the following: 


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1 ‘‘(6) PROHIBITION ON NEW SPECIAL CERTIFI2 CATES.—Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the Sec3 retary shall not issue a special certificate under this 

4 subsection to an employer that was not issued a spe5 cial certificate under this subsection before the date 

6 of enactment of the Raise the Wage Act. 

7 ‘‘(7) SUNSET.—Beginning on the day after the 

8 date on which the wage rate described in paragraph 

9 (1)(A)(i)(VI) takes effect, the authority to issue spe10 cial certificates under paragraph (1) shall expire, 

11 and no special certificates issued under paragraph 

12 (1) shall have any legal effect. 

13 ‘‘(8) TRANSITION ASSISTANCE.—Upon request, 

14 the Secretary shall provide— 

15 ‘‘(A) technical assistance and information 

16 to employers issued a special certificate under 

17 this subsection for the purposes of— 

18 ‘‘(i) transitioning the practices of such 

19 employers to comply with this subsection, 

20 as amended by the Raise the Wage Act; 

21 and 

22 ‘‘(ii) ensuring continuing employment 

23 opportunities for individuals with disabil24 ities receiving a special minimum wage 

25 rate under this subsection; and 


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1 ‘‘(B) information to individuals employed 

2 at a special minimum wage rate under this sub3 section, which may include referrals to other 

4 Federal or State entities with expertise in com5 petitive integrated employment.’’. 

6 (3) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made 

7 by this subsection shall take effect on the date of en8 actment of this Act. 

9 (b) PUBLICATION OF NOTICE.— 

10 (1) AMENDMENT.—Section 6(i) of the Fair 

11 Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 206(i)), as 

12 amended by section 4(b)(2), is further amended by 

13 striking ‘‘section 14(c)(1)(A) (as applicable),’’. 

14 (2) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made 

15 by paragraph (1) shall take effect on the day after 

16 the date on which the wage rate described in para17 graph (1)(A)(i)(VI) of section 14(c) of the Fair 

18 Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 214(c)), as 

19 amended by subsection (a)(1), takes effect. 

20 SEC. 7. GENERAL EFFECTIVE DATE. 

21 Except as otherwise provided in this Act or the 

22 amendments made by this Act, this Act and the amend23 ments made by this Act shall take effect on the first day 


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1 of the third month that begins after the date of enactment 

2 of this Act. 

Æ 


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