Vice President Biden heads to New York City Thursday to focus on economy, sexual assault cases

NEW YORK (WABC) -- Vice President Joe Biden will pay a visit to New York City on Thursday, appearing at events focusing on the economy and sexual assault cases.

Biden will head to the Javits Center to join New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who will expand his push for a $15 minimum wage to all industries statewide.

Biden is expected to support the initiative.

The $15 minimum wage would have to be approved by the state legislature, led by Republicans who are expected to resist.

Cuomo approved the fast food worker increase earlier this year through a wage board. The current state minimum wage is $8.75 an hour, going up to $9 at the end of the year.

Biden will also join Attorney General Loretta Lynch and Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance for an announcement on the sexual assault kit backlog.

Last year, Vance aaid $35 million will help eliminate a backlog of hundreds of thousands of rape kits across the country, evidence that could help authorities identify, arrest and convict rape suspects.

Biden is deciding whether to enter the race for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination.