House Votes to Raise Federal Hourly Minimum Wage to $15

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the so-called "Raise the Wage Act" yesterday to gradually raise the federal hourly minimum wage — which has been at $7.25 for a decade — to $15 by 2025, reports United Press International . House members voted 231-199 in favor of the legislation, with only three Republicans — Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Francis Rooney of Florida, and Chris Smith of New Jersey — joining Democrats in approval. A half-dozen Democrats voted against the proposal. Most states have already set minimum wages far beyond the $7.25 level. A Congressional Budget Office report released earlier this month projected raising the federal minimum to $15 would hike wages for 17 million workers and lift approximately 1.3 million people out of poverty — but cost another 1.3 million their jobs. The bill will likely face stiff resistance from the Republican-majority Senate.