In a surprising move, Gap Inc. informed its employees on Wednesday that it would set $9 as the minimum hourly rate for its United States work force this year and then establish a minimum of $10 next year.

Gap said this move would ultimately raise pay for 65,000 of its 90,000 American employees, including those at Banana Republic, Old Navy and other stores.

Gap is making this move as many states consider raising their minimum wage, and as Republicans and Democrats debate a bill that includes a proposed increase in the federal minimum wage to $10.10 an hour by 2016.

President Obama has endorsed the increase, and has campaigned for it at stops around the country.

Both sides in the debate received ammunition on Tuesday when the Congressional Budget Office released a report estimating that an increase to $10.10 an hour would reduce total employment by about 0.3 percent, or 500,000 workers — although the analysis said the losses could range from zero to one million over all.