Romney, Cotton propose bill raising minimum wage, changing immigration system

U.S. history is replete with political compromises. Some of the earliest compromises were made to ensure the ratification of the U.S. Constitution (the great compromise, the three-fifths compromise, and the electoral college). Other major laws required trade-offs to secure the votes needed for passage. Compromise may be needed again if there are to be changes to the federal minimum wage.

How we got here

The federal minimum wage hasn't been increased since 2009. President Joe Biden and Senate Democrats have been trying to raise the amount to $15 per hour, but the effort appears to have stalled because it didn't receive enough votes to become part of the new administration's COVID-19 stimulus bill.

Moreover, in recent years, some Republican senators have pushed immigration reform, but they also haven't gained the votes needed for passage. A current bill seems to pull in elements of (1) increasing the minimum wage and (2) modifying the ways employers verify their workers' eligibility to work in the United States.

Higher Wages for American Workers Act

GOP Senators Mitt Romney (Utah) and Tom Cotton (Arkansas) have proposed legislation that could change the minimum wage for the first time in more than a decade and revise American immigration law. Some believe the proposed legislation isn't likely to pass. Nevertheless, it's gaining support. The legislation, titled the Higher Wages for American Workers Act, would affect employers and employees in a couple of ways.