Representative Adriano Espaillat Votes on Long-Overdue Pay Raise for Up to 33 Million Workers

Statement

Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) 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, New Yorkers are working harder than ever -- but workers' wages are falling further and further behind," said Rep. Adriano Espaillat. "After more than a decade without an increase in the federal minimum wage, the longest stretch in U.S. history, hard-working Americans deserve a raise. I am glad New York led the way in increasing our state's minimum wage to $15 per hour, and I hope this measure will become law so the rest of the nation can join us, because there is no place in America today where a full-time worker making the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour can afford the basic 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, 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 New York workers, it is good for New York's economy," continued Rep. Espaillat. "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."

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