[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8555 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8555
To place the Federal minimum wage on a durable path toward a living
wage aligned with the national median wage, to require large, highly
profitable corporations to lead the transition, to end all subminimum
wages, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 28, 2026
Mrs. Ramirez (for herself, Mr. Garcia of Illinois, Ms. Mejia, Ms.
Simon, Mr. Thanedar, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Ms. Tlaib, Mr. Goldman of New
York, Ms. Ansari, Mrs. Grijalva, Ms. Velazquez, Mr. Casar, Ms. Wilson
of Florida, Mr. Khanna, Ms. Norton, Mr. Jackson of Illinois, Mr.
Espaillat, Ms. Tokuda, Ms. Stansbury, Ms. Jayapal, Mr. Norcross, Mr.
Menefee, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Mr. Lieu, Mrs. McIver, and Mr. Thompson
of Mississippi) introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Education and Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To place the Federal minimum wage on a durable path toward a living
wage aligned with the national median wage, to require large, highly
profitable corporations to lead the transition, to end all subminimum
wages, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Living Wage For All Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) It is a national priority that work pays a living wage
to all workers, and that the Federal minimum wage be aligned
with the actual cost of living. The wage increases established
by this Act--including the attainment of a $25 hourly wage--are
steps toward that goal and shall be followed by continued
adjustments to ensure that the minimum wage remains responsive
to changes in wages and economic conditions over time.
(2) Based on the best available data, including wage data
from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and economic projections
from the Congressional Budget Office, a minimum wage of at
least $25 per hour represents a conservative baseline step
toward aligning wages with the cost of living nationwide.
(3) Large, highly profitable corporations have the greatest
capacity to raise wages and should therefore lead the
transition to higher wage standards before smaller employers.
(4) Tying the Federal minimum wage to a fixed share of the
national median hourly wage ensures that wage standards rise
with the economy and prevents future erosion of purchasing
power.
(5) A Federal minimum wage aligned with median wages
strengthens economic security, reduces reliance on public
assistance, and promotes broad-based economic growth.
(b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to place the Federal
minimum wage on a durable path toward a living wage by ensuring that it
reaches a level equal to two-thirds of the national median hourly wage,
consistent with the phase-in schedule and median-wage adjustments
established under this Act, as soon as economically possible, and
remains indexed to that standard thereafter, while requiring large
corporations to lead the transition and providing additional adjustment
time for other employers.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Large employer.--The term ``large employer'' means any
employer that--
(A) has annual gross revenues of $1,000,000,000 or
more; or
(B) employs 500 or more employees nationwide; as
determined by the Secretary of Labor.
(2) Other employer.--The term ``other employer'' means any
employer that does not meet the definition of a large employer.
SEC. 4. MINIMUM WAGE INCREASES.
(a) In General.--Section 6(a)(1) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of
1938 (29 U.S.C. 206(a)(1)) is amended to read as follows:
``(1) Minimum wage.--Except as otherwise provided in this
section, not less than--
``(A) Large employers.--Each employer that is a
large employer shall pay each employee wages at a rate
not less than--
``(i) $12.00 per hour, beginning January 1,
2026;
``(ii) $15.00 per hour, beginning January
1, 2027;
``(iii) $18.00 per hour, beginning January
1, 2028;
``(iv) $20.00 per hour, beginning January
1, 2029;
``(v) $22.50 per hour, beginning January 1,
2030; and
``(vi) $25.00 per hour, beginning January
1, 2031,
subject to subsection (h): Provided, That,
notwithstanding the preceding schedule, the wage
required under this subparagraph shall not exceed the
wage determined under subsection (h) for the applicable
year.
``(B) Other employers.--Each employer that is an
other employer shall pay each employee wages at a rate
not less than--
``(i) $12.00 per hour, beginning January 1,
2026;
``(ii) $14.00 per hour, beginning January
1, 2027;
``(iii) $16.00 per hour, beginning January
1, 2028;
``(iv) $18.00 per hour, beginning January
1, 2029;
``(v) $20.00 per hour, beginning January 1,
2030;
``(vi) $20.60 per hour, beginning January
1, 2031;
``(vii) $21.20 per hour, beginning January
1, 2032;
``(viii) $21.80 per hour, beginning January
1, 2033;
``(ix) $22.40 per hour, beginning January
1, 2034;
``(x) $23.00 per hour, beginning January 1,
2035;
``(xi) $23.60 per hour, beginning January
1, 2036;
``(xii) $24.20 per hour, beginning January
1, 2037; and
``(xiii) $25.00 per hour, beginning January
1, 2038,
subject to subsection (h).''.
SEC. 5. MEDIAN WAGE STANDARD AND INDEXING.
Section 6 of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 206)
is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(h) Determination Based on the National Median Hourly Wage.--
``(1) Target standard.--The minimum wage shall be equal to
two-thirds of the national median hourly wage of all employees,
as determined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
``(2) Phase-in alignment.--During the phase-in period
described in subsection (a)(1), as applicable to the employer--
``(A) if the scheduled minimum wage for a calendar
year under subsection (a)(1)(A) or (a)(1)(B) would
exceed two-thirds of the national median hourly wage
for that year, the minimum wage shall be set at two-
thirds of the national median hourly wage for that
year; and
``(B) if, at the conclusion of the applicable
phase-in schedule, the minimum wage has not yet reached
two-thirds of the national median hourly wage, the
minimum wage shall continue to increase annually by the
lesser of--
``(i) $1.00; or
``(ii) the amount necessary to reach two-
thirds of the national median hourly wage.
``(3) Indexing after attainment.--Once the minimum wage
equals two-thirds of the national median hourly wage, it shall
thereafter be automatically adjusted each year to maintain that
ratio.
``(4) Data and projections.--In carrying out this
subsection, the Secretary shall rely on--
``(A) actual median wage data published by the
Bureau of Labor Statistics; and
``(B) where necessary during the phase-in period,
including for purposes of estimating two-thirds of the
national median hourly wage during the phase-in period,
economic projections from the Congressional Budget
Office or successor agencies.
``(5) Publication.--Each annual determination under this
subsection shall be published not later than 90 days before its
effective date.''.
SEC. 6. TIPPED EMPLOYEES.
(a) Base Minimum Wage for Tipped Employees and Tips Retained by
Employees.--Section 3(m)(2)(A)(i) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of
1938 (29 U.S.C. 203(m)(2)(A)(i)) is amended to read as follows:
``(i) the cash wage paid such employee, which for purposes
of such determination shall be not less than--
``(I) for tipped employees of large employers (as
defined in section 3 of the Living Wage For All Act),
not less than--
``(aa) $6.00 an hour, for the 1-year period
beginning on the effective date under section
11 of the Living Wage For All Act;
``(bb) $9.00 an hour, beginning 1 year
after such effective date;
``(cc) $12.00 an hour, beginning 2 years
after such effective date;
``(dd) $15.00 an hour, beginning 3 years
after such effective date;
``(ee) $18.00 an hour, beginning 4 years
after such effective date; and
``(ff) beginning 5 years after such
effective date, the minimum wage in effect
under section 6(a)(1) for such employee; and
``(II) for tipped employees of other employers (as
defined in section 3 of the Living Wage For All Act),
not less than--
``(aa) $4.75 an hour, for the 1-year period
beginning on the effective date under section
11 of the Living Wage For All Act;
``(bb) for each succeeding 1-year period
until the cash wage under this subclause equals
the minimum wage in effect under section
6(a)(1) for such employee, an hourly wage equal
to the amount determined under this subclause
for the preceding year, increased by the lesser
of--
``(AA) $1.75; or
``(BB) the amount necessary for the
wage under this subclause to equal the
minimum wage in effect under section
6(a)(1) for such employee; and
``(cc) for each succeeding 1-year period
after the increase made pursuant to subclause
(II)(bb), the minimum wage in effect under
section 6(a)(1) for such employee; and''.
(b) Tips Retained by Employees.--Section 3(m)(2)(A) of the Fair
Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 203(m)(2)(A)) is amended--
(1) in the second sentence of the matter following clause
(ii), by striking ``of this subsection, and all tips received
by such employee have been retained by the employee'' and
inserting ``of this subsection. Any employee shall have the
right to retain any tips received by such employee''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following: ``An employer shall
inform each employee of the right and exception provided under
the preceding sentence.''.
(c) Scheduled Repeal of Separate Minimum Wage for Tipped
Employees.--
(1) Tipped employees.--Section 3(m)(2)(A) of the Fair Labor
Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 203(m)(2)(A)), as amended by
subsections (a) and (b), is further amended by striking the
sentence beginning with ``In determining the wage an employer
is required to pay a tipped employee,'' and all that follows
through ``of this subsection.'' and inserting ``The wage
required to be paid to a tipped employee shall be the wage set
forth in section 6(a)(1).''.
(2) Publication of notice.--Subsection (i) of section 6 of
the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 206), as added
by section 8 of the Living Wage For All Act, is amended by
striking ``or in accordance with subclause (II) or (III) of
section 3(m)(2)(A)(i),'' and inserting ``or in accordance with
section 3(m)(2)(A)(i),''.
(3) Effective date.--The amendments made by paragraphs (1)
and (2) shall take effect, with respect to a tipped employee,
on the date that is 1 day after the date on which the cash wage
required under section 3(m)(2)(A)(i) equals the minimum wage in
effect under section 6(a)(1) for such employee.
(d) Penalties.--Section 16 of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938
(29 U.S.C. 216) is amended--
(1) in the third sentence of subsection (b), by inserting
``or used'' after ``kept''; and
(2) in the second sentence of subsection (e)(2), by
inserting ``or used'' after ``kept''.
SEC. 7. YOUTH WORKERS.
(a) Base Minimum Wage for Newly Hired Employees Who Are Less Than
20 Years Old.--Section 6(g)(1) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938
(29 U.S.C. 206(g)(1)) is amended by striking ``a wage which is not less
than $4.25 an hour.'' and inserting the following: ``a wage at a rate
that is not less than--
``(A) for the 1-year period beginning on the
effective date under section 11 of the Living Wage For
All Act, $6.00 an hour;
``(B) for each succeeding 1-year period until the
hourly wage under this paragraph equals the wage in
effect under section 6(a)(1) for such period, an hourly
wage equal to the amount determined under this
paragraph for the preceding year, increased by the
lesser of--
``(i) $1.75; or
``(ii) the amount necessary for the wage in
effect under this paragraph to equal the wage
in effect under section 6(a)(1) for such
period; and
``(C) for each succeeding 1-year period after the
increase made pursuant to subparagraph (B)(ii), the
minimum wage in effect under section 6(a)(1).''.
(b) Scheduled Repeal of Separate Minimum Wage for Newly Hired
Employees Who Are Less Than 20 Years Old.--
(1) In general.--Section 6(g) of the Fair Labor Standards
Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 206(g)), as amended by subsection (a),
shall be repealed.
(2) Publication of notice.--Subsection (i) of section 6 of
the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 206), as added
by section 8 of the Living Wage For All Act, is amended by
striking ``or subparagraph (B) or (C) of subsection (g)(1)''
and inserting ``or subsection (g)(1)''.
(3) Effective date.--The repeal and amendment made by
paragraphs (1) and (2), respectively, shall take effect on the
date that is 1 day after the date on which the hourly wage
under section 6(g)(1) equals the minimum wage in effect under
section 6(a)(1).
SEC. 8. PUBLICATION OF NOTICE.
Section 6 of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 206),
as amended by this Act, is further amended by adding at the end the
following:
``(i) Not later than 60 days prior to the effective date of any
increase in the required wage determined under subsection (a)(1) or
subsection (g)(1), or in accordance with section 3(m)(2)(A)(i) or
section 14(c)(1)(A), the Secretary shall publish in the Federal
Register and on the website of the Department of Labor a notice
announcing each increase in such required wage.''.
SEC. 9. WORKERS WITH DISABILITIES.
(a) Wages.--
(1) Transition to living wages for individuals with
disabilities.--Subparagraph (A) of section 14(c)(1) of the Fair
Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 214(c)(1)) is amended to
read as follows:
``(A) at a rate that equals or exceeds, for each year, the
greater of--
``(i)(I) $5.00 an hour, for the 1-year period
beginning on the effective date under section 11 of the
Living Wage For All Act;
``(II) for each succeeding 1-year period
until the wage rate under this clause equals
the wage rate in effect under section 6(a)(1)
for such period, an hourly wage equal to the
amount determined under this clause for the
preceding year, increased by the lesser of--
``(aa) $1.75; or
``(bb) the amount necessary for the
wage rate under this clause to equal
the wage rate in effect under section
6(a)(1) for such period; and
``(III) for each succeeding 1-year period
after the increase made pursuant to clause
(II)(bb), the wage rate in effect under section
6(a)(1); or
``(ii) if applicable, the wage rate in effect on
the day before the date of enactment of the Living Wage
For All Act for the employment, under a special
certificate issued under this paragraph, of the
individual for whom the wage rate is being determined
under this subparagraph,''.
(2) Prohibition on new special certificates; transition
assistance.--
(A) In general.--Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor
Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 214(c)) is amended by
adding at the end the following:
``(6) Prohibition on New Special Certificates.--Notwithstanding
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall not issue a special certificate
under this subsection to an employer that was not issued a special
certificate under this subsection before the date of enactment of the
Living Wage For All Act.
``(7) Transition Assistance.--Upon request, the Secretary shall
provide--
``(A) technical assistance and information to employers
issued a special certificate under this subsection for the
purposes of--
``(i) assisting such employers to comply with this
subsection, as amended by the Living Wage For All Act;
and
``(ii) ensuring continuing employment opportunities
for individuals with disabilities receiving a special
minimum wage rate under this subsection; and
``(B) information to individuals employed at a special
minimum wage rate under this subsection, which may include
referrals to Federal or State entities with expertise in
competitive integrated employment.''.
(B) Effective date.--The amendments made by this
paragraph shall take effect on the date of enactment of
this Act.
(3) Sunset.--Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act
of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 214(c)), as amended by paragraph (2), is
further amended by adding at the end the following:
``(8) Sunset.--Beginning on the day after the date on which the
wage rate described in paragraph (1)(A)(i) first equals the wage rate
in effect under section 6(a)(1), the authority to issue special
certificates under paragraph (1) shall expire, and no special
certificates issued under paragraph (1) shall have any legal effect.''.
(b) Publication of Notice.--
(1) Amendment.--Subsection (i) of section 6 of the Fair
Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 206), as added by
section 8 of the Living Wage For All Act, is amended by
striking ``or section 14(c)(1)(A)''.
(2) Effective date.--The amendment made by paragraph (1)
shall take effect on the day after the date on which the wage
rate described in section 14(c)(1)(A)(i) first equals the wage
rate in effect under section 6(a)(1).
SEC. 10. INCARCERATED WORKERS.
Section 3 of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 203)
is amended--
(1) in subsection (e)--
(A) in paragraph (2)--
(i) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``;
and'' and inserting a semicolon;
(ii) in subparagraph (C)(ii)(V), by
striking the period at the end and inserting
``; and''; and
(iii) by adding at the end the following:
``(D) any individual employed as an incarcerated worker by
a public agency that operates the correctional facility in
which such individual is incarcerated or detained.''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(6) The term `employee' includes (in addition to an individual
described in paragraph (2)(D)) any individual employed as an
incarcerated worker by a private entity that operates, through a
contract with a public agency, the correctional facility in which such
individual is incarcerated or detained.'';
(2) in subsection (m)(1), by striking ``any employee.'' and
inserting ``any employee: Provided further, That, in the case
of an employee who is an incarcerated worker, the cost of
board, lodging, or other facilities and any amount taken from
amounts paid such incarcerated worker for payment of a court-
imposed fee shall not be included in the wage paid to such
employee.''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(z)(1) `Incarcerated worker' means an individual, incarcerated or
detained in a correctional facility operated by a public agency or by a
private entity through a contract with a public agency, who performs
work offered or required by or through the correctional facility,
including work associated with prison work programs, work release
programs, the UNICOR program, State prison industries, public works
programs, restitution centers, correctional facility operations and
maintenance, and private entities.
``(2) An incarcerated worker shall be considered employed by--
``(A) the public agency operating the correctional facility
in which the individual is incarcerated or detained; or
``(B) in the case of a correctional facility operated by a
private entity through a contract with a public agency, such
private entity.
``(aa) `Correctional facility' has the meaning given such term in
section 901 of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968
(34 U.S.C. 10251).
``(bb)(1) `Court-imposed fee' means any fee imposed by a court as a
result of a criminal conviction, including any surcharge imposed for a
felony or misdemeanor conviction, a criminal justice administrative
fee, a court-appointed attorney fee, a court clerk fee, a filing clerk
fee, a DNA database fee, a jury fee, a crime lab analysis fee, a late
fee, an installment fee, or any other court cost.
``(2) The term `court-imposed fee' does not include any amount
required by a court to be paid for child support, to a crime victim
compensation fund, for a civil judgment, or for a criminal fine.''.
SEC. 11. EFFECTIVE DATE.
Except as otherwise provided, this Act and the amendments made by
this Act shall take effect on the first day of the calendar year that
begins after the date of enactment of this Act.
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