IOWA CITY, Iowa, Feb. 19 – U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) issued the following statement today after Wal-Mart announced that all of its workers in the United States would earn at least $9 an hour by April and $10 an hour by 2016:

“The Walton family which owns Wal-Mart is the wealthiest family in America and it is absurd that thousands of their low-wage workers are forced to use programs like food stamps, Medicaid and subsidized housing. Wal-Mart should not be paying starvation wages.

“While this is a step forward and a response to grassroots activism across the country, this is nowhere near enough. Wal-Mart should raise their minimum wage to at least $10.10 an hour now and move it to $15 over the next several years. Struggling working families should not have to subsidize the wealthiest family in the country. Wal-Mart also should end its vehemently anti-union activities.”