New Jersey’s New Congresswoman Wants to Raise National Minimum Wage to $25 Per Hour

Washington, D.C. — A New Jersey congresswoman is bringing the state’s wage fight to the national stage, unveiling a proposal to raise the federal minimum wage to $25 an hour—one of the most aggressive increases ever introduced in Congress. Rep. Analilia Mejia, who previously backed New Jersey’s push to raise wages to $15, announced Tuesday she is leading the “Living Wage for All Act” alongside several Democratic lawmakers. The bill would more than triple the current federal minimum wage, which has remained at $7.25 since 2009. “No one can afford to live on less,” Mejia said in announcing the legislation. “I fought for $15 in NJ—now we take this fight national for $25 an hour.” From New Jersey to national policy Mejia’s proposal builds directly on New Jersey’s wage trajectory, where lawmakers gradually increased the state minimum wage over recent years. Now, she and her allies argue even those gains are no longer enough as housing, food, and transportation costs continue to rise. The bill would phase in the $25 wage over time—reaching that level by 2031 for large employers and later for smaller businesses—while also eliminating subminimum wages for tipped workers and others. A dramatic jump from current law