HARTFORD — Yesterday, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) joined other Senate Democrats in introducing a bill to raise the minimum wage to $12 by 2020 to help more families make ends meet, expand economic opportunity, and help build an economy that works for all families, not just the wealthiest few. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) was joined by 32 Democratic cosponsors to introduce the Raise the Wage Act, which would also phase out the $2.13 tipped wage and would index the minimum wage to median wages.

“I’ve always believed that if someone gets up and goes to work every day, they deserve to be paid enough so that they can afford to live. It’s offensive to me that a full-time worker on the federal minimum wage makes just $15,000 a year. That’s nowhere near what it takes to put food on the table and a roof over your head, let alone raise a healthy and happy family,” said Murphy. “I’m proud that Connecticut led the way by increasing our minimum wage, but the federal government needs to do its part too."

“Raising the minimum wage is a an economic boon, not just a moral imperative -- because it puts more money in pockets of families who will spend it to drive the economy,” Blumenthal said. “This country was built on the promise that people who work hard can support themselves and their family. But for far too many Americans, economic security remains out of reach even though they work full time. I am proud that Connecticut recently raised its minimum wage, setting an important example for the rest of the country. Raising the federal minimum wage to $12 by 2020 is the next step in our continuing efforts to grow an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top.”

Senate Cosponsors of the Raise the Wage Act: Dick Durbin (D-IL), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Bob Casey (D-PA), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Gary Peters (D-MI), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Harry Reid (D-NV), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Al Franken (D-MN), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tom Udall (D-NM), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)