WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Democrat Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona has sided with Republicans and seven other senators in her party to amend the $ 1.9 billion coronavirus bill on President Joe Biden’s minimum wage bill to relieve. It was the way she did it that brought on social media condemnation and some comparisons to the late John McCain.
Cinema was standing on the House Floor and thumbs down when her name was called to vote. Although hand signals are not an uncommon way of voting for senators, some thought they were numb given the nature of the vote.
Hand gestures were used more frequently during the COVID-19 pandemic, while lawmakers wore masks during their votes. Sen. Mark Kelly, Arizona’s other Democratic senator, used his thumbs up on Friday to register his support for the amendment.
The actions of Sinema were very reminiscent of a similar move by late Senator John McCain, R-Ariz, whose thumbs down on a move by Republicans to stop the Affordable Care Act in 2017 has become an iconic moment .
Cinema’s name appeared on Twitter with McCain on Friday. Some drew comparisons between the legislators because they voted against their own parties. Others said the voices of Cinema would hurt workers trapped in a challenging economy, as opposed to McCain’s vote to preserve health care for many people.
What we know: The Senate discusses Biden’s COVID Stimulation Bill. When can you expect help?
Bio scope said in a statement and explains her vote that she believes the minimum wage increase should be worked on as an issue that does not have the COVID-19 legal aid bill.
“No one who works full time may live in poverty,” Sinema said. “Senators in both parties have shown support for raising the federal minimum wage and the Senate must hold an open debate and amendment process on raising the minimum wage, separate from the COVID-focused reconciliation bill.”
The amendment was introduced by Senator Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Supported by other progressive senators. He moved the amendment forward after the Senate MP ruled that the measure could not be included. The parliamentarian said the provision to increase the wage from $ 7.25 to $ 15 by 2025 should be removed and considered as a stand-alone bill or as part of other legislation.
The other Democrats to vote against the amendment were sensible. Chris Coons, D-Del .; Tom Carper, D-Del .; Jon Tester, D-Ma .; Jeanne Shaheen, DN.H .; Maggie Hassan, DN.H .; and Joe Manchin, WV Senator Angus King of Maine, an independent who oversees Democrats, also voted against the minimum wage amendment.
Critics said Cinema’s thumbs down show insensitivity. Some were confused by her vote, as she had previously said she supported a pay rise, including some progressive lawmakers.
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., Said that Sinema’s supposed change from a 2014 tweet that supported increased wages to “cheerfully vote no, is really disturbing.”
Imagine you have the nerve, rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, DN.Y., wrote on Twitter: “to go home and ask minimum wage workers to support you after going back on your own documented attitude to help their greatest chance at a wage crushed. step during their longest drought of wage increases since the inception of the law. ‘
“Did Sinema really vote against a minimum wage of $ 15 against 24 million people like this?” asks Sawyer Hackett, a senior adviser to former housing and urban development secretary Julián Castro.
What do Republicans dislike so much? Biden’s relief bill does not get the dual support of previous stimulus packages.
The Senate stood still for about nine hours on Friday while senators negotiated proposed changes to the stimulus package’s unemployment benefits, amid voting on a spate of amendments called ‘vote-a-rama’. The chamber plans to move forward after Manchin said he would support a compromise deal.
Contributions: Ledyard King, Nicholas Wu and Savannah Behrmann, USA TODAY; Yvonne Wingett Sanchez, Arizona Republic
This article originally appeared TODAY on the US: Kyrsten Cinema’s Thumbs Up About Raising the Minimum Wage Compared to McCain