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Senator Bernie Sanders has announced his intention to work with President-elect Donald Trump to raise the federal minimum wage.

Some background before you dig in: The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, last raised in 2009 from a previous rate of $6.55 per hour. The average state minimum wage across the country is approximately $11.80 per hour. Washington, D.C., has the highest state minimum wage at $17.50 per hour, while Georgia and Wyoming have the lowest state minimum wages at $5.15 per hour, though the federal rate applies when it exceeds the state rate.

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What’s going on: In an interview on NBC, Senator Sanders announced his plans to work with President-Elect Trump to increase the federal minimum wage, setting a target of $17 an hour. He said, “Look, at $7.25 per hour, minimum wage is an absolute disgrace. We have millions of people in this country who are working for starvation wages that cannot afford housing, that cannot afford to adequately feed their kids.” He continued, “I would suggest to be 17 bucks an hour, but I hope that we can work in a bipartisan way to finally accomplish that goal.”

Criticism of Republicans: Roughly two years ago, Senator Bernie Sanders spearheaded an effort to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour. The proposal saw strong support among Democrats, with 42 voting in favor and eight opposing it. However, the measure faced unanimous opposition from Republicans, with all Republican senators voting against it.  

Previous comments from Trump: While Trump has not come out in support of a $15 minimum federal wage, he has criticized the current amount. In an interview on NBC, Trump agreed that the federal minimum wage was “a very low number” and noted it was “very complicated” to change because “places are so different.”

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