Senators Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts on Monday called on Vice President Kamala Harris to pass the lawmaker’s ruling that reconciliation cannot be used on the $ 15 minimum wage increase in President Joe Biden’s $ 1.9 billion stimulus package, to replace.
Sanders, chair of the Senate Budget Committee, refused to pass the $ 15 minimum wage after Senate Elizabeth MacDonough ruled that the measure did not meet the requirements of the budget process called reconciliation.
MacDonough’s ruling may be dominated by Harris, but Democratic leaders indicated on Monday that they are likely to reduce the wage increase to pass the far-reaching bill quickly.
“My personal opinion is that the idea that we have a Senate staff, a high-ranking staff member, deciding whether or not 30 million Americans will get a pay rise is absurd,” Sanders told reporters. “We have to make the decision, not a staff member who has not been elected, so my opinion is that we should ignore the decisions, the decision of the Member of Parliament.”
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He added: “Given the enormous crises this country is facing and the desperation of working families, we must end the filibuster as soon as possible. We cannot let a minority of members define what the American people want. “
The House of Representatives passed the enlightenment bill Friday largely along party lines in a 219-212 vote. The aid measure is now penetrating to the Senate, where the minimum wage provision of $ 15 is expected to be changed. Once the amendments in the upper chamber have been decided, the bill will be returned to the House for a final vote.
Sanders has promised to force a vote in the upper chamber later this week to determine support for the $ 15 minimum wage. “As far as I know, there will be a vote on the minimum wage, and we will see what happens,” he said. “I intend to introduce the bill that raises the minimum wage to $ 15 per hour, and we will see how the votes go.”
Warren, along with Sanders, called on Democrats to ignore the parliamentarian’s decision. “I agree,” she said.
Following MacDonough’s ruling last week, progressive people have indicated that Democrats could lose support if they do not find a way to include the pay rise. “I do not think we can go back to voters and say, ‘Look, I know Republicans, Democrats, Independents support this; we promised it, but because of an unelected Member of Parliament who gave our verdict, we could not do it. not., ” said Representative Pramila Jayapal of Washington, who chairs the Progressive Caucus of Congress.
Newsweek reached the office of Vice President Kamala Harris for further comment.