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

Press Release

Today, Rep. Kirkpatrick 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.

"Southern Arizonans are working harder than ever -- but workers' wages are falling further and further behind," said Rep. Kirkpatrick "After more than a decade without an increase in the federal minimum wage, the longest stretch in U.S. history, hard-working Arizonans earning the federal minimum wage of $7.25 have suffered an almost 20 percent pay cut due to inflation. This bill will help over 105,000 people living in Arizona's Second Congressional District. I am proud to join my colleagues to take this strong step to 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 105,000 AZ02 workers 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.
"This wage raise will not only help Arizonans but it's also good for our state's economy," continued Rep. Kirkpatrick. "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 families who are the backbone of our state and our nation. This will also help close the wage-gap, six in 10 minimum wage workers are women -- it's time we give women all over the country a raise for their work."

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