WASHINGTON, July 18 — Senator Sanders (I-Vt.) released the following statement on the passage of the Raise the Wage Act of 2019 in the House of Representatives:

“Four years ago, when I first introduced legislation to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour it was considered an impossible dream.

“But today, thanks to a strong grassroots movement led by millions of fast food workers and the SEIU, the United States House of Representatives just voted to approve legislation to raise the federal minimum wage from the starvation wage of $7.25 an hour to a living wage of $15 an hour by 2025 and to index it to median wage growth every year after that. Today, I am proud to say that a $15 minimum wage has gone from laughable to inevitable.  Seven states and over 40 cities have passed $15 minimum wage laws.

“Today, I will be sending a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell demanding that he bring my $15 an hour legislation to the floor for a vote as soon as possible.  If Senator McConnell wants to vote against that bill and explain to the people of Kentucky why he believes a $7.25 minimum wage is acceptable to him that is his prerogative. But he should not deny the rest of the Senate the opportunity to vote for this bill and increase wages for 40 million Americans. No one who has a job in America should be living in poverty. Let the Senate vote.”

Read the letter here.