Senator Gehl

S.

116th Congress
First Session
In the United States Senate

Living Wage for All Act

A Bill to ensure a reasonable minimum wage for all American workers.

Whereas 42.4 percent of Americans are currently working for less than 15 dollars,

Whereas a family of four with one full-time worker earning the $7.25 minimum wage
has an annual income that is 17 percent below the poverty line, even after factoring in
cash from tax credits,

Whereas in 2014, 54 percent of Americans using a food pantry were from working
families,

Whereas 40% of those who are poor work full time,

Whereas for every 10 percent increase in the minimum wage, over the long run, the
poverty rate is expected to decline by more than 5 percent,

Whereas research finds that an increase to $15 by 2023 would free 1.2 million American
households from hunger,

Whereas 3 out of 5 minimum wage workers are women and that raising the minimum
wage to $15 would benefit over 23 million women

Whereas a raise to $15 an hour would narrow pay inequality by directly or indirectly
boosting pay for 40 percent of black workers and over 33 percent of Latinx workers

Whereas the federal minimum wage for tipped workers is $2.13 and many employers are
not held accountable for covering the difference,

Whereas many full time workers are still not covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act
because they are mislabeled as “freelancers” or “contractors,”
Be it hereby enacted, that the Senate shall:

(1) Enact a legislation across all the states that would--

i. Mandate a federal minimum wage increase of $1.55 per hour every 2 years after
enactment until the minimum wage reaches $15 per hour

ii. Mandate that tipped minimum wage would increase by $1.074 per hour, rounded
up, every 2 years until it reaches $7.50 per hour

iii. Mandate that those listed as contractors and freelancers be eligible for the federal
minimum wage by those paying for the services

(2) Establish the commission on minimum wage enforcement that would--

i. Mandate employer compliance with all of the minimum wage standards enacted