A federal, cost-of-living-based minimum wage would be created under bipartisan legislation proposed on Tuesday by U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA).
“Our nation’s workers deserve a fair wage that accounts for varying, regional cost-of-living rates,” Rep. Fitzpatrick said. “We must ensure that when it comes to the minimum wage, Americans can rely on being compensated appropriately based on where they work, live, raise their families, and pay taxes.”
The congressman sponsored the Fair Wage Act of 2023, H.R. 6722, with lead original cosponsor U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA) to index the federal minimum wage to a regional cost-of-living standard, and adjust cash wages of tipped employees and the wages for newly hired employees under the age of 18, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Fitzpatrick’s staff.
“While others pursue partisan and unrealistic measures to address the broken minimum wage standard, I am proud to introduce the bipartisan Fair Wage Act with Congresswoman Gluesenkamp Perez,” said Rep. Fitzpatrick. “Our legislation recognizes that the federal minimum wage in my home of Levittown has a disparate impact than it does in Los Angeles or Little Rock.”
Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez agreed, saying that H.R. 6722 takes a dynamic and regional approach to account for the cost of living, and will help ensure the minimum wage is tailored to families’ needs.
“As working families feel the pain of rising costs, it’s becoming harder to make ends meet by working a full-time job,” she said. “Wages just aren’t keeping pace with inflation in some communities.”