Better Pay for American Workers Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 10294 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 10294 To amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to increase the minimum wage. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 3, 2026 Mrs. Torres of California introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to increase the minimum wage. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Better Pay for American Workers Act''. SEC. 2. MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE. (a) In General.--Section 6 of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 206) is amended-- (1) in subsection (a), by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following: ``(1) except as otherwise provided in this section, not less than-- ``(A) $15.00 an hour, beginning on January 1, 2027; ``(B) $17.50 an hour, beginning on January 1, 2028; ``(C) $20.00 an hour, beginning on January 1, 2029; and ``(D) beginning on January 1, 2030, and annually thereafter, the amount determined by the Secretary under subsection (h).''; and (2) by adding at the end the following: ``(h) Minimum Wage Based on the Median Wage.-- ``(1) In general.--Prior to the date that a new minimum wage determined under subsection (a)(1)(D) is to take effect, the Secretary shall determine the minimum wage rate to be in effect under this subsection for each year described in subsection (a)(1)(D). The wage rate determined under this subsection for a year shall be-- ``(A) not less than the amount in effect under subsection (a)(1) on the date of the determination; ``(B) increased from such amount by the annual percentage increase, if any, in the