Florida lawmakers are advancing a controversial bill allowing employers to pay certain trainees below the minimum wage for up to 12 months. Meanwhile, in a separate initiative, Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley, alongside Vermont Sen. Peter Welch, introduced the “Higher Wages for American Workers Act,” which aims to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour starting in January 2026, with subsequent increases tied to inflation. The current federal minimum wage stands at $7.25 per hour, unchanged since 2009.
Efforts to raise the minimum wage have faced hurdles, such as the failed attempt to include a $15 minimum wage in President Biden’s 2021 COVID-19 relief package. Although President Trump suggested he might consider a wage increase, he later revoked an executive order setting a $17.75 minimum wage for federal contractors.
Both Hawley and Welch argue that the current minimum wage does not reflect the cost of living for American workers. Hawley highlighted the stagnation of wages over decades as a critical issue. However, the Employment Policies Institute has criticized their proposal, warning it could lead to the loss of over 800,000 jobs due to the drastic increase in wage requirements. They assert that most economists agree such significant hikes would limit job opportunities and negatively impact businesses.
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has noted that while raising the minimum wage could increase earnings for many low-wage workers, it may also result in job losses for some, ultimately reducing family incomes for affected individuals. Hawley’s involvement in wage issues is coupled with his collaborations on initiatives affecting credit card interest rates and critiques of Medicaid cuts, reflecting a multifaceted approach to economic policies impacting working Americans.
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