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US President Biden
Photo: Evan Vucci / AP
President Joe Biden's aim to double the minimum wage could destroy hundreds of thousands of jobs.
That comes from an analysis by the independent budget bureau of the US Congress.
If the national minimum wage were to rise to $ 15 an hour by 2025, as proposed, 1.4 million jobs would be lost, the report said on Monday.
At the same time, the number of people living in poverty in the US would decrease by 900,000.
The national minimum wage in the US is currently $ 7.25.
In addition, some states have higher lower limits.
The economically strong New York, for example, has already decided to gradually increase the minimum wage to $ 15.
According to a bill, the Democrats want to gradually raise the national minimum wage from June, followed by increases based on the average wage development of all workers.
Several Republicans would also have to vote for the law, which seems unlikely.
The CBO said the planned increase in the national minimum wage would increase the US budget deficit by a total of $ 54 billion through 2031 - a small amount relative to the annual budget of more than $ 4 trillion.
Biden is committed to increasing the minimum wage.
His spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the president wanted to work to ensure that people who work full-time in America do not have to live in poverty.
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