RELEASE: Murphy Introduces Landmark Bill to Raise Minimum Wage to 25 Dollars Nationwide
Press (Murphy)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 25, 2026
CONTACT
Deni Kamper
MURPHY INTRODUCES LANDMARK BILL TO RAISE MINIMUM WAGE TO 25 DOLLARS NATIONWIDE
Watch the Bill Announcement Here
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Thursday announced he will introduce the Living Wage For All Act, bicameral legislation to increase the federal minimum wage to 25 dollars an hour. Under a two-track phase-in, large corporate employers would be required to implement a $25 wage floor by 2032, while other businesses would have until 2039 to do so. The bill would also guarantee a living wage for workers by mandating automatic, continued increases of the federal minimum wage to two-thirds of the national median wage. The Living Wage For All Act is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). U.S. Representatives Delia Ramirez (D-Ill-03), Analilia Mejia (D-N.J.-11). Jesús “Chuy” García (D-Ill.-04), and Lateefah Simon (D-Calif.-12) introduced companion legislation in the House.
Despite widespread gains in worker productivity, alongside stark rises in the cost of living, Congress has not increased the federal minimum wage since the first Obama administration. Since 1979, workers have become some 92 percent more productive, but wages have risen by less than 34 percent. If the minimum wage had kept pace with inflation and worker productivity since 1968, it would have been roughly $25 in 2023. There is nowhere in America where a worker with just one dependent can afford their basic needs by working full time at an hourly wage under $25.
As low wages put families in a financial chokehold, local businesses lose out from a diminished customer base, and our broader national economy misses out on substantial gains in employee engagement and reductions in staff turnover. While many states and localities have increased their minimum wages with consistently positive results for workers, in twenty states the minimum wage still does not exceed the federal floor established nearly two decades ago.
The Living Wage For All Act would change the lives of tens of millions of American workers and their families. 45 percent of American workers currently make less than $25 an hour.
“If you work full time in this country, you should be able to afford to live. But wages are so low that parents work 60 hours a week and still aren’t sure if they’ll have lunch money for their kids,” said Senator Murphy. “Our economy is not working for people and we have to put forward solutions that are as big as the problems American families are facing.”
“Today, in the wealthiest country in world history, employees who earn minimum wage working full-time cannot make ends meet,” said Senator Blumenthal. “That’s because the federal minimum wage is unchanged since 2009 at $7.25. Meanwhile, a gallon of gas is $4 in most places in America, and close to $6 in some. This is unconscionable and unacceptable. An increase is long overdue so workers in the U.S. can afford basic necessities, like gas and groceries. Increasing the minimum wage would drive much-needed economic growth, reduce wealth inequality, and lift millions of Americans out of poverty. Congress should pass this bill and give American workers a well-deserved raise.”
“A living wage should never be too much for anyone to ask for in this country,” said Senator Kim. “Working families are having to stretch their dollars more while billionaires get the biggest breaks because they write the biggest checks. It’s time we give the American people a real chance at the American Dream; that’s only possible by providing a living wage.”
“The American people will not accept an economy that creates trillionaires while so many people are buried under the cost of living,” said Senator Wyden. “A 25 dollar living wage wouldn’t just be a leg up for workers, it would be an economic revolution and deliver the benefits of economic growth exactly where they belong: with the workers. I’m proud to be a partner in the fight with Senator Murphy to create an economy that helps everyone get ahead, not just those at the very top.”
“Growing up, I saw my immigrant parents and my neighbors working multiple minimum wage jobs just to survive. Today, companies are reporting record-high earnings while working people struggle to survive. Minimum wage is not a living wage. That’s not right. If we want to address the affordability crisis, we must also address the wage crisis,” said Congresswoman Ramirez, the House's lead sponsor of the Living Wage for All. “Congress must stop entertaining the whims of wannabe kings and start working for working people. I am proud to stand with Senator Murphy and the Living Wage For All Coalition to ensure that working people have every single thing they need to thrive.”
"Working families are paying more for just about everything. Inflation is at its highest level in three years, while the costs of housing, groceries, and everyday essentials continue to climb. Yet the federal minimum wage has been frozen since 2009. That is outrageous. If you work full time, you should be able to afford to live with dignity,” said Congresswoman Mejia. "We need an economy that reflects today's reality, not one stuck nearly two decades in the past. I fought to raise New Jersey's minimum wage to $15 an hour and was proud to lead the fight in the House with my friend Delia Ramirez to raise the federal minimum wage to $25 an hour. I’m grateful to Senators Murphy, Blumenthal, and Wyden for their leadership in the Senate, because the Living Wage for All Act has the power to change lives for millions of workers. It's time to build an economy that works for all, not just billionaires and corporations,”
The Living Wage For All Act would ensure:
- A minimum wage increase to $25/hour over several years, including an increase from $7.25 to $12.00 in the first year.
- No employee will be paid below the minimum wage. Existing subminimum wages for tipped workers, workers with disabilities, and youth workers will be phased out gradually.
- Large employers with more power in the marketplace will lead the way, and smaller employers will have a longer transition period.
- After the minimum wage reaches $25, it will increase in future years to equal two-thirds of the national median wage.
The Living Wage For All Act is endorsed by the following organizations:
One Fair Wage, NAACP, National Education Association, National Action Network (NAN), Center for Popular Democracy, PolicyLink, SEIU International, American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Retail, Wholesale & Department Store Union, 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, National Urban League, UnidosUS, Southern Poverty Law Center, Common Cause, National Organization for Women, Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), Alliance for a Just Society, Sunrise Movement, Our Revolution, Patriotic Millionaires, Voices for Progress, End Workplace Abuse, San Francisco Living Wage Coalition (CA), Trabajadores Unidos Workers United (CA), Black Organizing Project (CA), UFCW Local 7 (CO), New Disabled South (GA), ACLU of Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Public Health Institute, Chicago Education Advocacy Cooperative (IL), Illinois Workers in Action (IL), Survivors Know (IL), Community Labor United (MA), Detroit Disability Power (MI), Make the Road Nevada, The New York Progressive Action Network, SEPA Mujer (NY), Human Services Council (NY), Churches United for Fair Housing (NY), Keystone Progress Education Fund (PA), Pennsylvania Policy Center (PA), Workers Defense Action Fund (TX), Rights & Democracy Vermont, and Milwaukee Area Service & Hospitality Workers Union (WI).
Saru Jayaraman, President of One Fair Wage: "This is what happens when a worker-led movement reaches Washington. For years, workers from California to Connecticut have organized for $25 an hour, not because it's bold but because it's what it takes to live. Today, the Senate caught up to them. The Living Wage For All Act does what no federal wage bill ever has: it sets a real floor, indexes it so it can never be frozen again, and ends every subminimum wage for tipped workers, youth workers, and workers with disabilities, so that 'for all' finally means for all. One Fair Wage and more than 100 partner organizations are proud to stand with Senator Murphy to carry this fight into the Senate. One job should be enough to live on. When work pays, democracy begins to work again."
Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers: “A living wage is about the kind of society we want - one where one job is enough; where if you work hard you will have a pathway to a life you and your family can live on; or one of constant struggle. This also hugely impacts education. When educators, paraprofessionals, school staff, and the families that make up our communities are paid less than what it takes to live, it destabilizes classrooms and weakens the foundation students rely on. When educators must work two and four jobs to make ends meet, how can they focus on their students? A true living wage is essential — and long overdue — to restoring dignity for workers, supporting families, and ensuring people can fully participate in their communities and in our democracy. That is how we build the thriving, stable environments every student deserves.”
Derrick Johnson, President & CEO, NAACP: "For 17 years, Washington has left the federal minimum wage at $7.25 while working people have fallen further behind. A living wage is about dignity, but it is also about who holds power in this country. It is tied to every other fight for civil rights — from racial justice, to voting rights, to economic opportunity. The NAACP stands with this coalition because civil rights, racial justice, and economic justice are inseparable."
Janet Murguía, UnidosUS President and CEO: "Too many Latino workers and working families know that a full-time job is not enough to keep up with the rising costs of everyday necessities. Raising the minimum wage to $25 an hour would ensure millions of workers are able to earn enough to support their families, build financial stability and invest in their futures. Latino workers and millions of other workers stand to benefit from the Living Wage for All Act, which would put more money in the pockets of families and boost local economies. This legislation represents an important step toward an economy that allows working families to thrive."
April Verrett, President of the Service Employees International Union: "The Living Wage for All Act recognizes that raising wages is essential to solving the affordability crisis hurting working families in every community across our nation. SEIU members and our allies are fighting for money, power and respect for every job in our economy, forcing a new baseline for livable wages in states and local economies. Now, it’s time for Congress to do its part to end poverty wages by passing the Living Wage for All Act.”
Kimberly Johnson Trinca, Government Relations Director for the National Education Association: “As the Trump administration rips more and more resources away from the classrooms and communities that need them most, all while handing more power and privilege to the wealthy and well-connected, workers across our country need this legislation now more than ever. By paying educators and education support professionals a living wage, they will earn the respect, competitive wages, and support they deserve to provide their students with the skills needed to fulfill their dreams. At a time of massive income and wealth inequality, the National Education Association is proud to stand up for the working class and support the Living Wage for All Act. An investment in workers is an investment in the future of public schools and our nation.”
Ebonie Riley, Senior Vice President of the National Action Network: "We have to stop treating a living wage as a policy preference or an economic variable, it is a fundamental civil right. You cannot separate a worker’s dignity from their paycheck, yet our current economic system legally permits the exploitation of millions of minority and low-income workers under the guise of the minimum wage. The Living Wage for All Act isn't just about adjusting numbers on a spreadsheet; it is a structural intervention to stop the economic bleeding in our communities. We aren't asking for incremental shifts; we are demanding a legislative baseline that guarantees human dignity. We commend Senator Murphy for introducing a bill that actually meets the scale of the crisis."
John Driscoll, Chair of Magnit Global and member of Patriotic Millionaires: "From my own experience as a CEO, I know that a well-paid workforce is more focused, motivated, and productive—and therefore will deliver stronger returns in the long run. The Living Wage For All Act would bring real economic relief to the millions of Americans struggling from the affordability crisis. Nearly half the country doesn't earn enough to afford basic necessities, and it's about time lawmakers ensured they were guaranteed a living wage. Workers and businesses alike will win under the Living Wage For All Act. I'm thrilled to see Senator Murphy and his colleagues follow their House counterparts' lead in introducing this bill, and why I encourage Congress to pass it without delay."
Michael McAfee, President & CEO, PolicyLink: "A true living wage is about more than a paycheck—it's about dignity, stability, and the ability for workers to meet their basic needs and support their families. No one who works full-time should have to choose between paying rent, buying groceries, or accessing health care. Ensuring a true living wage for all workers is not only the right thing to do—it is a critical investment in shared prosperity and economic opportunity."
Kim Cordova, President, UFCW Local 7: "The labor movement has always believed that work carries dignity, and dignity demands fair pay. The introduction of the Living Wage For All Act carries on the proud tradition of every worker who ever stood on a picket line and demanded better. This bill recognizes a simple truth: no corporation should profit while its workforce lives in poverty. We applaud its sponsors and will stand behind it every step of the way."
Sandra Fluke, President of Voices for Progress: "As business leaders, entrepreneurs, and investors, Voices for Progress members appreciate that the Living Wage For All Act supports employers. Affordability is not just about lowering prices — it's about ensuring people are paid enough to live on, so we can build an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top."
Deb Falzoi, CEO of End Workplace Abuse: "If someone works full time, they should be able to afford a decent life. That's not a radical idea — it's the bare minimum."
For a one-pager on the bill click here. For full bill text click here.
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