On 15th Anniversary of Last Federal Minimum Wage Increase, Voters Turn to State Ballots to Win Higher Pay

Washington, DC – As the cost of food and other necessities continues to climb, federal efforts to increase the minimum wage have stagnated for a decade and a half, keeping the national minimum at $7.25 an hour. Wednesday, July 24, marks 15 years since Congress last enacted a federal minimum wage increase.

In response, voters have taken the initiative to raise wages at the state level. Since 2016, the Fairness Project has backed eleven voter-led ballot measures to boost the minimum wage, resulting in over $22 billion in additional earnings for workers.

“Workers can’t afford to wait for Congress to act; they need to feed their families, pay their bills, and take care of their loved ones,” said Kelly Hall, Executive Director of the Fairness Project. “We’ve helped put more than $20 billion into the pockets of American workers in nine states across the country. This year, we see a clear path to victory in Alaska and Missouri because when voters have the chance, they choose higher wages. Voters understand that raising the minimum wage is the right thing to do, even if their elected officials in state legislatures and Washington, D.C., remain inactive. It’s been fifteen years since the federal minimum wage was increased, and while this is both an economic and moral failing, we believe the solution lies in direct democracy through the ballot box.”