“American workers deserve a living wage, and I applaud the Biden-Harris Administration’s decision to require that all businesses that contract with the federal government pay their workers at least $15 an hour. This new policy, which was announced last year, takes effect today and will have an immediate and positive impact on 300,000 workers and their families while promoting wage increases across our economy.  I was proud to bring to the Floor and lead House Democrats in passing the Raise the Wage Act in 2019 as well provisions to raise the minimum wage again in 2021. We will continue to push for an increase of the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour so that Americans working full time jobs or multiple jobs do not still struggle to make ends meet.  Effectively, in terms of purchasing power, the federal minimum wage has decreased since the 1960’s, and it has not been raised in over a decade.  Part of building back better is making sure that wages increase to enable workers and their families to reach for opportunities and achieve economic security.”