People across the country are rallying in their communities and online today to mark the four-year anniversary of the last federal minimum wage increase, and to call on Congress to prioritize passage of a measure that would help bring it up-to-date. That measure, the Fair Minimum Wage Act (H.R. 1010), would increase both the federal minimum and sub-minimum wage rates — the latter, which applies to tipped workers, has been stuck at a measly $2.13 per hour for more than 20 years.

Raising the minimum wage would benefit women, their families and the economy in significant ways. Women’s wages are critical to the economic security of families. Yet women also make up the majority of tipped workers, who often suffer from low wages and a lack of family friendly policies like paid sick days. And they continue to experience harmful pay and pregnancy discrimination.

Ensuring women and all workers are paid fairly and well enough to keep food on the table and their families out of poverty is essential to the well-being of our nation. Four in five Americans agree that a living wage is important, saying they support efforts to increase the minimum wage. But Congress has been slow to act.

The Fair Minimum Wage Act should be a top priority for any lawmaker who supports working families and wants to strengthen our economy. It would increase the minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10 per hour to keep pace with the rising cost of living, and it would increase the sub-minimum wage to 70 percent of the full minimum wage rate. More than 30 million workers would see pay increases, the majority of whom are women.

The National Partnership is proud to join today’s efforts and support the fair, living wages all families need and deserve. For more information on efforts to increase the minimum wage and to get involved, check out RaiseTheMinimumWage.org from the National Employment Law Project (NELP).