An Act of Economic Justice and Equity Is Greatly Needed In America. The federal minimum wage, stagnant since 2009, requires a long-overdue adjustment to keep pace with inflation, average wages, and the soaring incomes of the top 1 percent and CEOs. The proposal to increase the minimum wage to $17 per hour aims to rectify this imbalance, ensuring that workers are adequately compensated for their contributions to the nation's economic growth. The widening pay gap between CEOs and workers underscores the critical need for this adjustment, emphasizing its urgency and relevance in combating growing inequality. The federal minimum wage has not kept up with inflation, average wages, and the incomes of the top 1 percent and CEOs. This contributes to America's growing inequality crisis. If the minimum wage had kept pace with productivity increases, it would be around $24 per hour¹. The widening pay gap between CEOs and workers further highlights the urgency of raising the minimum wage.