U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Skamania, and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pennsylvania, recently introduced the bipartisan Fair Wage Act.
The legislation is aimed at indexing the federal minimum wage to a regional cost-of-living standard, making it more responsive to local economic realities, Gluesenkamp Perez stated in a news release.
This legislation also updates the wage structure for tipped employees and newly hired employees under the age of 18, such as high school students employed for a summer job, according to the release.
“As prices for everyday goods remain high, it’s become harder to make ends meet — even by working a full-time job. When we have more family-wage jobs, there are more pathways to the middle class,” Gluesenkamp Perez said. “Our bipartisan Fair Wage Act will make sure the minimum wage reflects economic realities on the ground in a dynamic way. When wages reflect regional costs of living, more hardworking families will be able to get ahead and spend time on what matters most.”
The lawmakers previously introduced the legislation in the 118th Congress, but it failed to become law.
