What Will Bernie Sanders Do Next? $15 Minimum Wage Bill Introduced By Democrats

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders’ agenda to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour is finally being backed by the Democrats with the party introducing a bill to facilitate it Wednesday.

In the past, the Democrats have been wary of the $15 benchmark, calling it impractically high. Their 2016 presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton, had officially stuck to raising the minimum wage to $12.

Read: Minimum Wage To Increase In 2017 For 20 States Including New York, California, Arizona

However, with President Donald Trump taking office and the Republicans tightening their hold over both the House of Representatives and the Senate, the Democrats took on the more radical stand, moving significantly to the left.

“You can bet Democrats in Congress are going to fight to make $15 minimum wage a reality in this nation, from one end of the country to the other,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a speech early Wednesday. “$15 isn’t going to make anybody rich. But it’s at least going to let people live a life of dignity. Every American who works hard is entitled to just that.”

Sanders gained the support of fellow Democrats like Sen. Patty Murray, who had previously supported a $12 minimum wage hike, and Democratic Reps. Keith Ellison and Bobby Scott, who will push a companion bill in the House, the Hill reported.

The Democrats have an uphill task ahead of them as the Republican majority in the Congress will give the bill overwhelming opposition, but the mood in the party remains upbeat.

“When this thought first came up, people were telling us, ‘That’s just crazy! You’re nuts! It’s pie in the sky! It’s not going to happen!’” Sanders’ longtime policy director Warren Gunnels was quoted as saying by Vox. “It’s been a tremendous change.”

“You can see it: It’s a new day here,” Gunnels added soon after the rally at the Capitol Wednesday.