Government affairs

Today, the House of Representatives voted 231-199 roughly down party lines to pass H.R. 582, which would gradually raise the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour over the next six years and then tie the wage floor to inflation in the subsequent years.

House Republicans offered an amendment to add language to the bill, which would exempt businesses with fewer than 10 employees or annual gross income of less than $1 million from implementing the $15 minimum wage. The amendment was defeated 210-218.

The most recent increase to the federal minimum wage came in 2009 to the current $7.25 per hour and this bill has been a priority for many House Democrats, especially the bill’s sponsor, Education and Labor Chairman Bobby Scott (D-VA).

Now that the bill has passed the House, it is up to the Senate to advance an identical bill to H.R. 582, which was introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) back in January. That bill is highly unlikely to advance in the Republican-controlled chamber.

NALC will keep its members up to date on any further developments with this bill or related legislation.