Democrats cannot include a $15 per hour minimum wage in their $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, a Senate official ruled Thursday, derailing for now a party priority and a raise for millions of Americans. CNBC's Ylan Mui reports. For access to live and exclusive video from CNBC subscribe to CNBC PRO: [ Ссылка ]
The fight for a $15 federal minimum wage just hit a major roadblock.
On Thursday, nonpartisan Senate parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough said that lawmakers cannot include the $15 federal minimum wage in legislation to be passed through budget reconciliation, challenging its inclusion in the $1.9 trillion stimulus bill working its way through Congress.
The parliamentarian’s ruling comes as the House prepares to pass the latest round of coronavirus stimulus and send it to the Senate. It was cheered by Republicans, who have opposed raising the federal minimum wage and Democrats’ use of budget reconciliation.
“Very pleased the Senate parliamentarian has ruled that a minimum wage increase is an inappropriate policy change in reconciliation,” said Senate Budget Committee ranking member Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., on Thursday. “This decision reinforces reconciliation cannot be used as a vehicle to pass major legislative change — by either party — on a simple majority vote.”
Still, Democrats remain committed to including it. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said Thursday that Democrats will keep the $15 minimum wage boost in the current bill and are determined to pursue every path to a pay hike.
“The Senate parliamentarian’s ruling has no bearing on the House and should not compel the House to throw in the towel on such a critical issue,” Bobby Scott, a Virginia Democrat and chair of the House Education and Labor Committee, said in a statement. “I firmly believe the House should send the Senate a relief package with the minimum wage provision and allow the Senate to navigate the procedural hurdles.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., also said that the push for a raised federal minimum wage will continue.
“We are deeply disappointed in this decision,” he said on Thursday. “We are not going to give up the fight to raise the minimum wage to $15 to help millions of struggling American workers and their families.
“The American people deserve it, and we are committed to making it a reality.”
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