September 15, 2023 - Washington, D.C. — Senators Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) and Mitt Romney (R-Utah) have introduced the Higher Wages for American Workers Act, a bill that would gradually raise the federal minimum wage to $11 by 2028 and mandate E-Verify to ensure the wage increase only goes to legal workers.

Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas)

The bill will also index future minimum wage increases to inflation and includes protections for small businesses. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), Susan Collins (R-Maine), and J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) are co-sponsors of the legislation.

Bill text may be found here.

“American workers today compete against millions of illegal immigrants for too few jobs with wages that are too low—that’s unfair. Ending the black market for illegal labor will open up jobs for Americans. Raising the minimum wage will allow Americans filling those jobs to better support their families. Our bill does both,” said Senator Cotton. 

“Despite rising costs of living, the federal minimum wage has not been increased in more than a decade, which has left millions of Americans struggling to make ends meet. Our proposal would raise wages for millions of workers without risking jobs, and tether the wage to inflation to ensure it keeps up with rising costs. Additionally, requiring employers to use E-Verify would ensure that the wage increase goes to legal workers, which would protect American jobs and eliminate a key driver of illegal immigration,” said Senator Romney.

Background:

• Gradually raises the federal minimum wage to $11 over four years, and then indexes it to inflation every two years moving forward.
• Creates a slower phase-in for small businesses with fewer than 20 employees.
• Mandates E-Verify for all employers, phasing in implementation over 18 months to allow small businesses additional time to comply.
• Raises civil and criminal penalties on employers that hire unauthorized aliens and/or violate I-9 paperwork requirements.
• Prevents fraud by requiring workers 18 and older to provide a photo ID to their employer for verification, which will be cross-referenced if a photo is available through the E-Verify system.
  Source: Senator Tom Cotton