Bernie Sanders proposes $17-an-hour minimum wage bill.

Senator Bernie Sanders has proposed a bill to raise the minimum wage to $17 an hour over a five-year period, more than double the current minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. The bill will be taken up by the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, but its chances of passage are slim. Sanders argues that the proposed increase is necessary to keep pace with inflation and to help workers keep up with the rising cost of living across the United States. Workers and union leaders joined Sanders in a press conference to support the bill, while some lawmakers have expressed concerns about the potential impact on jobs and the economy.