Congress Democrats are fighting to raise the minimum wage to $ 15 an hour as part of a $ 1.9 billion coronavirus bill they want to pass in a few weeks.
The battle could escalate as fast as Wednesday, the first time a Senate MP is expected to make a decision on whether to include the proposal in emergency lending legislation under special budget rules planned for the package.
If allowed, it would be a big win for the Democrats, but a bigger battle within the party over how much the minimum wage should increase and how it should be structured. With thin margins in both chambers, Democrats can not afford to alienate progressives or moderates.
“Even if it can be included, then the question is, are Democrats uniformly supportive?” het Sen. Tim Kaine
Timothy (Tim) Michael KaineDemocrats plan to increase rising drug costs Overnight health care: Biden officials announce funding to detect virus variants | Senate Dems Unveils Public Option Proposal | White House: Vaccinations by teachers not needed for schools to reopen Group of 25 prominent non-profit organizations urges Congress to attract MORE war forces (D-Va.), And added that although he was supportive, “there are a few other Democrats who have expressed concern.”
Neither side is paying tribute to the introduction of a chicken pig that could provide more aid to schools, states, small businesses and American families.
The House is expected to vote Friday on its $ 1.9 billion package, according to the model President Biden
Joe BidenTikTok users spread the conspiracy that Texas snow was manufactured by the government. The problem with a one-time federal minimum wage increase Tossing money to Central America will not curb illegal migration.‘s proposal. It includes a minimum wage of $ 15 per hour, which will be phased in by 2025.
This is a level that has strong supporters, including Biden himself, Housemates and the chairman of the Senate Budget Committee Bernie Sanders
Bernie Sanders On The Money: Neera Teeth’s Nomination Endangered After Three IDP Nos | Trump rages after SCOTUS rules over financial records. Teeth’s path to confirmation seems increasingly unsustainable Asian Pacific US Caucus urges senators to confirm Teeth MORE (I-Vt.), Who said he wanted to see the wage increase in its current form passed by the Senate as soon as next week.
“Fifteen dollars an hour is not a radical idea, a number of states have moved in that direction, more than 60 percent of Americans think this is where we should go and that is what I want to do,” Sanders said. said when asked about talks about a smaller increase.
Supporters of the $ 15 minimum wage point to broad support among Congressional Democrats, arguing that leaders should bend any Democratic senators who do not want to participate in the will of the party.
If Republicans vote against the pay rise in the 50-50 Senate, Democrats can afford no deviations.
Fans also point to Florida, which was a stronghold for the former President Trump
Donald TrumpFauci: US political divisions over masks lead to half a million COVID-19 deaths, Georgia’s bishop says the GOP state election bill is an ‘attempt to suppress the black vote’ Trump closer to legal danger after court ruling on tax returns MORE. Voters in the state passed a vote last year to raise the minimum wage to $ 15 an hour.
‘The party is ALREADY behind raising the minimum wage to $ 15. So is the American people! Even Republicans agree – just look at Florida, which passes $ 15 by a large majority while voting for Trump. And apart from the strong support, it is just a good policy, ”said Rep. Pramila Jayapal
Pramila Jayapal Democrats experience unit test on Biden’s .9T bill Progressive caucus chairman: I think the minimum wage will be included in the COVID-19 aid package on Sunday – COVID-19 dominates as the gloomy milestone approaches. (D-Wash.), The chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, tweeted Tuesday.
Similar to a budget resolution in which the COVID-19 bill was drafted, the Senate will have to take a vote before adopting the COVID-19 bill.
This enables every senator to present potential changes to the bill, with many needing just a simple majority to be successful, something that gives extra power to moderates like Sen. Joe Manchin
Joseph (Joe) ManchinOvernight Health Care: US Survives Half a Million COVID Deaths | Home Panel Promotes Biden’s .9T COVID-19 Assistance Bill | Johnson & Johnson is set to jeopardize doses for 20 million Americans by The end of March on The Money: Neera Teeth’s nomination after three GOP nos | Trump rages after SCOTUS rules over financial records. Teeth’s path to confirmation seems increasingly untenable (DW.Va.), who oppose the Sanders wage increase.
Manchin said if the minimum wage increase may be in the bill, he wants to change the increase from $ 15 per hour to $ 11 per hour.
‘If it’s German, at a threshold of 51 votes, $ 11 basically works. “We can earn $ 11 in two years and be in a better position than they will be with $ 15 in five years,” Manchin said.
Manchin appears skeptical that there will not be enough support for the $ 11 minimum wage, but refuses to say how he will vote on the overall package if it is rejected.
Manchin is not the only Democratic senator concerned about raising the minimum wage to $ 15 an hour, but he was the most outspoken. Sen. Kyrsten Cinema (D-Ariz.) Also came out against the idea, and even beyond the increase, Democrats are privately talking about handling fees or potential tax breaks for small businesses.
A stand-alone bill from Sanders has the support of 37 additional Democratic senators – 12 votes less than the simple majority needed to pass the coronavirus bill.
The looming absence comes as senators are still waiting to hear from Senator Elizabeth MacDonough whether a minimum wage increase complies with the Byrd rule, an angry procedure that determines what can and cannot be achieved through reconciliation. Democrats use the budget process to pass coronavirus relief so they can bypass the legislative filibuster by 60 votes.
Sanders and his staff commit to MacDonough why they think it meets and should be included.
But others including Biden, chairman of the House Budget Committee John Yarmuth
John Allen YarmuthOn The Money: Neera Teeth’s nomination in jeopardy after three GOP nos | Trump rages after SCOTUS rules on financial records House panel promotes Biden’s bill on .9T COVID-19 This week: House will vote more on Biden’s bill on 9 trillion coronavirus MORE (D-Ky.) And Democratic senators seemed skeptical.
“I put it in, but I do not think it’s going to survive,” Biden told CBS News earlier this month, referring to Senate Reconciliation Rules.
This has left some Democratic senators out of the fight to raise the minimum wage to $ 15 an hour until it becomes a living issue – as soon as the parliamentarian signs it or not, it includes it.
Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer
Chuck Schumer Lawmakers propose draft law to create Capitol riot commission The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by the AIDS Institute – COVID-19 rescue bill a unit test for Dems OVERNIGHT ENERGY: US officially joins Paris climate agreement | Biden Energy Dept Recommends Thorough Review of Trump Energy Rules | The Texas power grid was ‘seconds and minutes’ of total failure, officials say MORE (DN.Y.) declined to say whether he would support a minimum wage increase of less than $ 15 per hour.
‘Look, the first step is to go before reconciliation, before the Member of Parliament. “We are awaiting our decision before proceeding,” Schumer told reporters.
Sen. Jon Tester
Jonathan (Jon) Tester Democratic Senate’s Campaign Tapes New Staff Leaders Tester as Defense Panel Award Attorney Trump Accuses Democrats of Violent Rhetoric MORE (D-Mont.), Who is not a co-sponsor of Sanders’ bill, questions its value in weighing in until it at least overcomes that procedural hurdle.
“I do not know it will be there, but once it is there, we will talk about it,” he said. “But until it gets in there, I don’t think there’s any reason to waste energy on it.”
Alexander Bolton contributed.