Richmond VA, March 15, 2024. –  More than four hundred Virginia bishops, religious leaders and clergy released a statement today urging the Governor to increase the minimum wage. The bills to reenact the minimum wage, SB 1 and HB 1, were sent to the Governor at the end of the General Assembly, he has until April 8th to act on the bills. The bills would increase the minimum wage from its current $12 per hour to $13.50 in 2025 and to $15.00 by 2026.  

“Faith communities support modest increases to the minimum wage as an effective means to reduce hunger and poverty,” said Kim Bobo, Executive Director of Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy. “Caring for our neighbors is a core religious value.” 

The minimum wage bill would increase wages for 611,000 workers in Virginia, most of whom work at least 35 hours a week. According to The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis, 9 out of every 10 workers who will benefit are over age 20, most are workers of color, and 6 out of every 10 are women.  

“We know Governor Youngkin is a person of faith and that he understands too many working families are struggling,” Bobo said. “The Virginia Interfaith Center urges him to allow this bill to become law.” 

The Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy is the Commonwealth’s largest and oldest faith-based advocacy organization. The center focuses on economic, racial, and social justice issues that unite the faith community. They mostly work on issues that reflect on shared faith values, such as caring for the poor, welcoming the immigrant, and showing compassion to those incarcerated. The Virginia Interfaith Center has members in every legislative district in Virginia, strong connections with most major faith traditions, congregational liaisons in hundreds of congregations, and hosts one of the state’s largest advocacy days during the General Assembly. The organization has a track record of working in a bi-partisan fashion. 

Click here to view the letter and signatories

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MEDIA CONTACTS:

Hamna Saleem
Director of Communications
Hamna@virginiainterfaithcenter.org 

Kim Bobo
Executive Director
Kim@virginiainterfaithcenter.org
773-391-8844 (cellphone)