KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Two United States senators introduced legislation Tuesday that would increase the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour starting in January 2026.
The three-page bill would more than double the current federal minimum wage of $7.25 set in 2009.
“For decades, working Americans have seen their wages flatline,” Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) said in a release Tuesday. “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.”
LINK | History of the federal minimum wage
A majority of states have their own minimum wage laws that exceed the current federal minimum wage, though that number would fall if the federal minimum wage were increased through legislation.
Last November, nearly 58% of voters in Missouri approved an increase in the state’s minimum wage, first to $13.75 as of Jan. 1, 2025, and then to $15 in 2026.
Despite the voter-approved measure, Missouri legislators passed a bill last month that, if signed by Gov. Mike Kehoe, would repeal parts of the minimum wage and paid sick leave proposal.
Hawley is co-sponsoring the federal legislation with Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vermont).
“Times have changed, and working families deserve a wage that reflects today’s financial reality,” Welch said in a release. “I’m proud to lead this bipartisan effort to raise the minimum wage nationwide to help more folks make ends meet.”
Kansas, at $7.25 per hour, is one of several states with an existing minimum wage that matches the federal wage.
In February, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly proposed increasing the state’s minimum wage to $15, but the effort failed to advance in the Kansas House and Senate.
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