Sen. Bernie Sanders
Bernie SandersMcConnell makes failed bid to adjourn Senate after hours-long delay Senate holds longest vote in history as Democrats scramble to save relief bill Democrats break COVID-19 impasse with deal on jobless benefits MORE (I-Vt.) said Monday he will introduce a bill this week that would raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour.
In a Twitter post, Sanders said the current rate of $7.25 per hour is “a starvation wage” and that he intends to change it.
“If you work 40 hours a week, you should not live in poverty,” Sanders tweeted.
The federal minimum wage of $7.25 is a starvation wage. That is why I, along with many other members of Congress, will introduce legislation this week to raise that wage to $15 an hour. If you work 40 hours a week, you should not live in poverty.
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) January 14, 2019
Sanders introduced similar legislation in 2017. That bill, as well as the forthcoming one, called for the federal minimum wage to gradually increase to $15 an hour by 2024 in an effort to lessen the impact on the overall economy.
His previous attempt to raise the federal minimum wage stalled in Congress, and the measure has little chance of passing the GOP-controlled Senate.
Last year Sanders called on Amazon to boost its minimum wage to $15 per hour, a step the company ultimately took.
Thank you @SenSanders. We’re excited about this, and also hope others will join in. https://t.co/kasWkkOhWo
— Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) October 2, 2018
The federal minimum wage has been $7.25 an hour since 2009.
Sanders would likely make workers' wages a key component of his campaign if he were to launch another White House bid.
