Missouri Senator Josh Hawley, a prominent figure in the GOP, is set to unveil legislation on Tuesday aimed at increasing the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour. This initiative marks an unusual alignment of one of the most conservative lawmakers in Congress with some of its most liberal members.
Titled the “Higher Wages for American Workers Act,” the proposed legislation would implement the wage increase starting in 2026, with subsequent adjustments tied to inflation, CBS News has learned exclusively. Joining Hawley in this effort is Vermont Democratic Senator Peter Welch, who will co-sponsor the bill.
“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 hard-working Americans every day,” Hawley stated. He expressed that the bipartisan nature of the legislation aims to ensure that workers nationwide see an increase in their wages.
Welch echoed this sentiment, stating, “We’re in the midst of a severe affordability crisis, with families in red and blue states alike struggling to afford necessities like housing and groceries. A stagnant federal minimum wage only adds fuel to the fire. Every hard-working American deserves a living wage that helps put a roof over their head and food on the table–$7.25 an hour doesn’t even come close.”
Currently, the federal minimum wage remains at $7.25 per hour, a rate that has not changed since 2009, according to data from the U.S. Department of Labor.
This initiative by Hawley diverges from traditional conservative principles that have historically resisted federal minimum wage increases due to concerns about potential impacts on businesses and consumers. However, his proposal reflects a shift within the GOP towards addressing the needs of working-class voters, a trend bolstered by Trump-era populism.
Hawley has been advocating for his party to recognize this transformation. The minimum wage legislation forms part of a larger set of proposals he has called the “Pro-Worker Framework for the 119th Congress,” which also includes efforts to enhance protections for union jobs and promote collective bargaining.
Earlier this year, he collaborated with Senator Bernie Sanders to propose a cap on credit card interest rates at 10%. In the previous Congress, he introduced legislation mandating that companies with revenues surpassing $1 billion pay their employees no less than $15 per hour. Recently, he has also urged his party to refrain from cutting Medicaid benefits in the forthcoming budget reconciliation bill.
In November, Missouri voters endorsed a measure to elevate the state’s minimum wage to $15 per hour starting in 2026, although the state Legislature subsequently repealed provisions that would have permitted future increases adjusted for inflation.
In a related context, former President Trump previously revoked an executive order from the Biden administration that had raised the minimum wage for federal contractors to $17.75 per hour. At his Senate confirmation hearing earlier this year, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent mentioned his disapproval of raising the federal minimum wage, arguing that such decisions should be determined at the state level.