Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., introduced a bill on Tuesday that would more than double the federal minimum wage.
Hawley’s bill, titled the Higher Wages for American Workers Act, would increase the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour in 2026 with future increases tied to inflation. Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., has joined Hawley on the effort as a co-sponsor.
“The woke corporations have been eager to raise prices on everybody and employ as many illegals as possible—but they don’t want to pay Americans a good wage,” Hawley told The Daily Signal. “That should change. If they can afford to pay their CEOs millions, they can afford to pay hard-working Americans a decent wage.”
In a previous statement, Hawley said that “for decades, working Americans have seen their wages flatline. One major culprit of this is the failure of the federal minimum wage to keep up with the economic reality facing hardworking Americans every day.”
“This bipartisan legislation would ensure that workers across America benefit from higher wages,” Hawley added.
If signed into law, the $15 minimum wage would more than double the $7.25 per hour minimum. Hawley’s home state of Missouri already has plans to raise its minimum wage to $15 next year, and 30 states and the District of Columbia have already set minimum wages over the federal minimum. Only 10 of those states and D.C., however, have set minimum wages at $15 or more.