Team,

Today marks 14 years since Congress last increased the federal minimum wage. In the 14 years since, the cost of living has continued to rise, but America’s minimum wage hasn’t gone up at all.

Increasing our minimum wage is long overdue. Will you join me in calling on my colleagues to raise the federal minimum wage now by adding your name to this petition?

Full-time workers who earn the minimum wage can’t afford a two-bedroom apartment at market value anywhere in the U.S., and even a one-bedroom apartment is out of reach for minimum wage workers in 95% of American counties.

According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, the average minimum wage worker would have to work nearly 97 hours each week to afford a two-bedroom apartment and 79 hours each week to afford a one-bedroom apartment.

Raising the minimum wage is also a racial justice issue. Nearly half of all Latino and Black workers in the U.S. make less than $15 an hour.

Will you stand with me in calling on my colleagues in Congress to increase the federal minimum wage?

Thanks for being on this team,

Congressman Gerry Connolly
Virginia's 11th District