Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) announced on Tuesday that he will introduce legislation to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 from $7.25 in January 2026. The bill reflects Hawley’s populist attitudes as he tries to tilt the party away from its yearslong opposition to raising the federal minimum wage.

Earlier this year, Trump rescinded a Biden-era executive order that required federal contractors to be paid at least $17.75 per hour. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also said during his Senate confirmation hearings that he opposed raising the federal minimum wage and preferred to leave the issue up to the states.

GOP Sen. Josh Hawley's position on the minimum wage aligns him with some of the Senate's most liberal members.