RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE
A $25 federal minimum wage indexed to inflation, with elimination of the subminimum tipped wage.
Why this matters.
The federal minimum wage has been frozen at $7.25/hour since 2009 — the longest period without an increase since the Fair Labor Standards Act was enacted in 1938. Adjusted for productivity growth since 1968, the minimum wage would today exceed $24/hour. The Congressional Budget Office's 2021 analysis of a $15 phase-in estimated wage gains for 27 million workers and a reduction of 900,000 people from poverty.
Non-partisan in application.
Implementation amends 29 U.S.C. § 206 (FLSA minimum-wage section) and 29 U.S.C. § 203(m) (tip credit). Enforcement uses the existing Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor under standard, non-partisan administrative procedure.
Measurable outcomes. Hard deadlines.
A $25 minimum wage phased in by 2030 would lift an estimated 7.6 million workers out of poverty and increase aggregate annual earnings by $330 billion. Eliminating the tipped minimum ($2.13/hour) ends wage theft affecting an estimated 4.4 million restaurant and service workers. The Tracker logs every co-sponsorship of Raise the Wage bills and every vote against preemption clauses that block state or local increases.
The Accountability Tracker scores co-sponsorship of federal minimum-wage increases, votes on state preemption, and opposition to subminimum wage carveouts (e.g., for disabled workers or youth). A candidate must have a 100% pro-wage record on scored votes to be eligible for PAC support.
Introduce legislation setting a $25 federal floor by 2030, ending the tipped minimum in 3 years, and indexing to median wage growth.
Secure majority House support; pass committee with unified labor coalition backing.
Enactment; first increase to $12/hour; DOL launches a tipped-wage compliance strike force.
Annual stepped increases to $25 by 2030; indexed automatic adjustments; estimated 42 million workers see direct raises.