Minimum Wage: the numbers behind it

A new bill in Congress could raise the nation’s minimum wage for the first time since 2009. Minimum Wage has emerged this Saturday as one of the stories drawing attention in Tanzania.

Key facts

• A new bill in Congress could raise the nation’s minimum wage for the first time since 2009.
• Amid the ongoing affordability crisis, Representatives in Congress have introduced a bill to raise the federal minimum wage for the first time since 2009.
• A new bill could gradually raise the federal minimum wage to $25 an hour by 2031.
• A group of Democratic lawmakers introduced the Living Wage for All Act on Tuesday, which would gradually raise the federal minimum wage to $25 an hour.
• Above video: The minimum wage rises in 22 states in 2026.

What we know

Going deeper, Amid the ongoing affordability crisis, Representatives in Congress have introduced a bill to raise the federal minimum wage for the first time since 2009.

On the substance, a new bill could gradually raise the federal minimum wage to $25 an hour by 2031.

Beyond the headlines, a group of Democratic lawmakers introduced the Living Wage for All Act on Tuesday, which would gradually raise the federal minimum wage to $25 an hour.

More precisely, Above video: The minimum wage rises in 22 states in 2026.

It is worth noting that the federal minimum wage currently sits at $7.25 an hour.

By the numbers

At this stage, although several states and cities have raised their minimum wages above the federal minimum, there hasn’t been an increase at the federal level since 2009.

On a related note, Currently, 30 states have minimum wages above the federal minimum wage.

Going deeper, Representatives in Congress are starting a new push to raise the federal minimum wage to $25 an hour.

On the substance, Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.) and Analilia Mejia (D-N.J.), introduced the Living Wage for All act on Tuesday, a bill that would gradually raise the federal minimum wage to $25 an hour.

What they're saying

“Corporate profits are at a record high and bosses are actively cutting their workforces, undermining organizing efforts, and trying to replace labor entirely,” said García. “Meanwhile, working families are struggling to pay their rent, buy groceries, and go to the doctor.

The wider context

On a related note, Mississippi’s minimum wage hasn’t changed in more than a decade.

Going deeper, If enacted, the bill would require large employers (those with 500 or more employees nationwide or that have gross annual revenues of $1 billion or more) to bring their minimum wage to $25 by 2031, with smaller employers following by 2038.

On the substance, From there, the federal minimum would rise periodically to ensure it is always equal to two-thirds of the national median wage, which is around $31 an hour as of the first quarter of 2026, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Beyond the headlines, Currently, the federal minimum wage sits at $7.25 an hour and hasn't increased since 2009.

More precisely, the bill would not only raise the federal minimum wage, but also end subminimum wages that currently exist, such as the tipped wage, which allows workers who receive tips to be paid a base wage as low as $2.13 per hour.

The bottom line

• A new bill could gradually raise the federal minimum wage to $25 an hour by 2031.
• A group of Democratic lawmakers introduced the Living Wage for All Act on Tuesday, which would gradually raise the federal minimum wage to $25 an hour.
• The federal minimum wage currently sits at $7.25 an hour.