The Senate’s chief lawmaker on Thursday ruled that a federal minimum wage increase should not be included in the $ 1.9 billion COVID-19 relief package, but there appears to be little to deter House Democrats from making the plan – against impossible chance.
In a statement obtained by Fox News, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the decision by MP Elizabeth MacDonough “disappointing.” Pelosi, like most Democrats, insisted that the wage increase provision be kept in the bill and said it would “stay on the floor tomorrow in the U.S. bailout plan.”
Vice President Harris, as president of the Senate, may dominate the ruling of the parliamentarian, but the move is considered unlikely. Ron Klain, the chief of staff of President Biden, said in an interview this week that a Harris domination is “not something we would do”.
MacDonough’s ruling is seen as a devastating blow by the chamber’s non-partisan arbiter for the democratic cause. Senate Democrats wanted to avoid dealing with a Republican filibuster and resorting to a process called budget reconciliation. Under the process, Democrats would be able to pass the bill by a simple majority in the Senate. But budget reconciliation comes with additional rules, including what provisions can be added to these bills.
The Associated Press reported that the Democrats have a ten-vote lead in the House and are 50-50 in the Senate. Democratic senses Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Cinema of Arizona acted against the minimum wage increase in the bill, and other moderates also expressed their concern.
Some provisions that raise the eyebrows of the Conservatives are $ 1400 incentive checks that go to mixed-status families with undocumented immigrants; allow the planned parenting to receive funds for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) designed to keep small businesses running; and nearly $ 600 million for additional emergency paid family leave for federal employees and U.S. postal service workers, according to a memorandum from the Republican Study Committee.
The main issue MacDonough considered was the Byrd rule, which requires legislation ” to have an effect on the federal budget and not ‘merely’ coincidentally ‘in order to qualify for reconciliation,’ ‘The Hill pointed out.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, RS.C., addressed him on Twitter praising MacDonough’s decision and urging Democrats to make an ‘inappropriate policy change in reconciliation’. He said the ruling “strengthened reconciliation could not be used as a means of passing major legislative amendments by one of the parties by a simple majority vote.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the president was “disappointed” with the result but respected the parliamentarian’s ruling.
“He will work with leaders in Congress to determine the best way forward, because no one in this country has to work full time and live in poverty,” Psaki said.
Fox News’ Marisa Schultz and The Associated Press contributed to this report.