Dear Friend,
For far too long, many hard-working men and women have not been earning livable or sustainable wages. Families have had to learn to do more with less in order to cope with the rising cost of health care, energy, and education in America. The $7.25 an hour minimum wage set in 2009 has failed to keep up with inflation, decreasing the purchasing power of those Americans living on minimum wage. I firmly believe that it is time for America to get a raise and that people who work full time should never live in poverty.
That's why earlier this week I was proud to cosponsor the Raise the Wage Act, H.R. 2150. This bill would help those living on a minimum wage income deal with the rising cost of living and inflation. The legislation would increase the national minimum wage from $7.25 to $12.00 by the year 2020. Additionally, it would index the minimum wage to the median wage starting in 2021. Lastly, the bill would gradually eliminate the tipped minimum wage by raising the cash wage from the current $2.13 per hour to match the regular minimum wage. This bill will help millions of hard-working Americans and it is good for America's long-term economic growth.
Throughout my time in Congress, I have consistently been a supporter of raising the minimum wage. I believe that if we are going to have a minimum wage, it needs to be adjusted occasionally to keep up with inflation. We must ensure that workers in America receive a fair day's pay for doing a fair day's work.
I promise to continue fighting for hard-working Americans to ensure they get the fair pay they deserve.
Sincerely,