WASHINGTON DC (July 18, 2019) — Representative Dave Loebsack released the following statement today after the House passed the Raise the Wage Act on a bipartisan vote. This legislation would gradually raise the minimum wage to $15 by 2025 and index future increases to median-wage-growth to ensure the value does not again erode over time. This increase would give 33 million workers nationwide a raise, including 131,000 people living in Iowa’s Second Congressional District. Nationwide, there has been no raise in the minimum wage in over a decade, leading to a 17-percent pay-cut due to inflation for those living in states like Iowa that are stuck at the current $7.25 wage.
"Having grown up in poverty, I know what it is like to sit around the kitchen table and worry about how the bills are going to get paid," Rep Loebsack said. "Anyone working 40 hours or more per week should not be living in poverty, which is the case for millions of people across the country who are stuck at the current minimum wage. It has been over a decade since the minimum wage has been increased, the longest period in US History, and in order to maintain a basic standard of living, it is imperative that the wage is increased. I will continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to create good paying jobs and grow the economy here at home."
