Bill would raise nationwide minimum wage to $15.

• Position: In the News...

Congressional Democrats, buoyed by their new majority in the House of Representatives, have introduced legislation that would raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour in every state.

The Raise the Wage Act would gradually increase the minimum wage from the current $7.25 per hour to $15 per hour by 2024. Future minimum wage increases would be indexed to rise in response to median-wage growth.

The bill--introduced in both the House and Senate--would also gradually phase out the lower minimum wage for tipped workers such as waiters. Currently just $2.13 per hour, it would gradually catch up to the regular minimum wage.

The Raise the Wage Act was introduced by Rep. Bobby Scott (D.-Va.) in the House. It has 181...