CONGRESS FOR VOTERS

DemocratBill · H.R. 10294· House(119-HR-10294)

Better Pay for American Workers Act

Rep. Torres
Age: 61 years
California
Introduced
9/3/2026
Last activity
9/3/2026 — Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
Sponsored by
Norma Torres
Cosponsors
None
Labor and Employment
  1. Introduced
  2. In Committee

What this bill would do

This bill, called the "Better Pay for American Workers Act," aims to increase the minimum wage by amending the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. It sets a schedule to raise the wage to $15.00 by January 1, 2027, $17.50 by January 1, 2028, and $20.00 by January 1, 2029. Starting January 1, 2030, the minimum wage will be determined annually by the Secretary. These annual updates will be based on the percentage increase in the median hourly wage of all employees as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Yes· 3 of 24

  • Would households on low incomes be better off under this?+10

    The bill directly increases the income of the lowest earners in the economy.

  • Does this raise the lowest wage an employer may pay?+10

    The bill explicitly raises the minimum wage to $20.00 by 2029 and indexes it to the median wage thereafter.

  • Is this likely to lift people out of poverty?+8

    Increasing the floor for hourly wages directly raises the income of the lowest-paid workers, aiding poverty reduction.

The opposite· 3 of 4

  • Would business owners be better off under this?-7

    Increases payroll expenses for all businesses employing minimum-wage workers.

  • Would farmers be better off under this?-5

    Agricultural employers will face significantly higher labor costs.

  • Does this make it easier to run a small business?-5

    Increasing the minimum wage significantly increases labor costs for small business owners.