$17 Per Hour Minimum Wage Bill Introduced by U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders

U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders plans to introduce a minimum wage bill that would increase the amount to $17 per hour. Reports say the federal minimum wage is $7.25, an amount that has not changed since 2008.

United States Senator Bernie Sanders recently introduced a minimum wage bill that intends to increase the amount to $17 per hour. To date, the federal minimum wage reportedly amounts to $7.25 per hour which has not been changed since 2008. Sanders will apparently join employees and union leaders like SEIU International President Mary Kay and AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler in the proposal.

According to Johnson, it has already been long since Sanders pushed for a minimum wage bill that would increase the amount. Unfortunately, he had always been hindered by centrist Democrats. Reports say Sanders’ most recent attempt was to include a $15 per hour minimum wage bill in U.S. President Joe Biden‘s stimulus package in 2021. However, the provision was voted out of contention by eight independents and Democrats.

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States and Cities Increasing Their Own Wages

An article in Business Insider India states that several states and cities in the U.S. have already decided to increase local minimum wages on their own. Reports say at the beginning of 2023, eight million employees have already received an increase in their minimum wages.

In 2021, other Democratic lawmakers have also called for an increase in minimum wages. These Democrats include the Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus Pramila Jayapal and former Chair of the Education Committee Bobby Scott who urged an increase of $15 per hour to the House of Representatives.

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