Rep. Johnson Votes on Long-Overdue Pay Raise For Up to 33 Million Workers

Press Release

Today, Rep. Johnson voted to increase the paychecks of American workers by passing H.R. 582, the Raise The Wage Act, to gradually increase the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025 and restore the value of work in our economy by lifting struggling workers and their families out of poverty.

"Today, Georgians are working harder than ever -- but workers' wages are falling further and further behind," said Rep. Johnson. "After more than a decade without an increase in the federal minimum wage, the longest stretch in U.S. history, hard-working Georgians earning the federal minimum wage have suffered an almost 20 percent pay cut due to inflation. There is no place in America today where a full-time worker making the federal minimum wage can afford the essentials. I am proud to join my Democratic colleagues to take this strong step to deliver on our For The People agenda and give working men and women across the country a well-deserved raise."

The Raise The Wage Act will:

Increase wages for up to 33 million American workers, including 35.4 percent of workers in Georgia according to independent economic analysis from the Economic Policy Institute. Even the CBO's more cautious estimate of a similar proposal indicated as many as 27 million workers would see a wage increase;
Lift 1.3 million Americans out of poverty, including 600,000 children, according to the CBO's review of a similar proposal; and
Help secure fairness and equality for women, giving nearly 20 million working women a raise, and helping narrow the gender wage gap that disproportionately impacts women of color.

"Increasing the minimum wage is not only good for Georgia workers, it is good for Georgia's economy," continued Rep. Johnson. "The Raise The Wage Act will stimulate economic growth that benefits everyone, not just the wealthy few. While Republicans wrote their GOP Tax Scam for the Rich to benefit the wealthy and well-connected, I am laser-focused on growing the pay-checks of the hard-working men and women who are the backbone of our state and our nation."

Source