Biden’s minimum wage push faces uphill battle with GOP

President elect Joe bidenJoe BidenFear of insider attack prompts FBI to carry out additional check on National Guard troops: PA Iran sentences US businessman for spying: DC report, state capitals see little problem , heavy security amid concerns over protests MOREThe proposal to raise the minimum wage to $ 15 an hour appears to be one of the primary sources of partisan divisiveness in its broader COVID-19 relief plan.

Biden received applause from progressives for including a policy to raise the federal minimum wage for the first time in more than a decade in his $ 1.9 trillion relief package unveiled Thursday.

But some lawmakers across the aisle were quick to criticize that element of his plan, arguing it would hamper, rather than help, the recovery.

“Forcing a minimum wage of $ 15 in a coronavirus relief bill would do nothing but shut down the millions of small businesses already on life support and force those that survive to lay off workers,” the senator said. . Tim scottTimothy (Tim) Eugene ScottHarris to step down from Senate seat on Monday McConnell says he is undecided on whether to vote to condemn Trump McConnell will not resume his role as chief Trump advocate MORE (RS.C.).

Pennsylvania Sen. Pat ToomeyPatrick (Pat) Joseph Toomey Government used Patriot Act to collect logs of website visitors in 2019 Appeals court says NSA bulk phone data collection illegal Dunford steps down as committee chair coronavirus surveillance PLUS (R), who is not seeking re-election, said relief from COVID-19 should focus on dramatically expanding vaccinations, not increasing the minimum wage.

“If the federal government imposes a universal minimum wage of $ 15, many low-income Americans will lose their current jobs and find fewer job opportunities in the future,” he said.

Biden, who has set himself a goal of pushing through the relief package with bipartisan support, appeared to anticipate part of the GOP’s subsequent backlash by noting Thursday that the minimum wage increase is popular, even in the states. red.

“People tell me it’s going to be hard to go through. Florida has just adopted it, as divided as this state is, it has just adopted it, ”he said.

President TrumpDonald Trump Iran condemns US businessman for espionage: DC report, state capitals see few problems, heavy security amid protest concerns Pardon seekers paid tens of thousands of Trump allies to do so pressure on the president: NYT PLUS has won Florida in the last two elections, and the state has a Republican governor and two GOP senators.

Still, Sunshine State voters approved a voting initiative in November raising the minimum wage to $ 15.

“The rest of the country is also ready to move,” Biden said.

Twenty states and many localities increased their own minimum wage rates on Jan. 1.

A national poll shows broad support for a minimum wage of $ 15. A 2019 Pew poll found that 67% of Americans supported a rate of $ 15, while a more recent Ipsos poll from August showed that 72% of those polled supported raising the minimum wage by a certain amount, including 62% of Republicans.

But getting 10 Senate Republicans to back Biden’s COVID-19 proposal and avoid a GOP filibuster will likely prove difficult.

Moderates such as Sens. Susan collinsSusan Margaret Collins Impeachment trial tests Trump’s grip on Senate GOP ‘Almost Heaven, West Virginia’ – Joe Manchin and a Senate 50-50 McConnell set to educate Trump on political power for the last time MORE (R-Maine), Lisa MurkowskiLisa Ann MurkowskiDemocratic lawmaker said ‘assassination party’ sought Pelosi in riot impeachment trial testing Trump’s grip on Senate GOP ‘Almost Heaven, West Virginia’ – Joe Manchin and a 50-50 PLUS Senate (R-Alaska) and Mitt RomneyWillard (Mitt) Mitt Romney Impeachment trial tests Trump’s grip on Senate GOP ‘Almost Heaven, West Virginia’ – Joe Manchin and a 50-50 Senate The Hill’s Morning Report – Biden asks the Congress to Expand Largest Relief Response in U.S. History PLUS (R-Utah) did not respond to requests for comment from The Hill.

A bill passed by the House in 2019 that would have gradually increased the minimum wage until it reached $ 15 in 2025 was never introduced by the Senate Majority Leader. Mitch mcconnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnell Graham asks Schumer to hold vote to reject impeachment article against Trump Rove: Chances of conviction increase if Giuliani represents Trump in Senate impeachment trial Boebert’s communications director resigns at middle of the Capitol riot: PLUS report (R-Ky.).

His. Elizabeth warrenElizabeth Warren Biden to choose Rohit Chopra to lead CFPB, Gensler for SEC chairman: reports Biden’s tax hike proposals face bumpy roads Porter loses seat on House committee overseeing the financial sector (D-Mass.), A progressive who welcomed Biden’s proposal, said Democrats should use legislative workarounds if enough Republicans don’t align themselves.

“Let’s be clear: if Republicans want to drag their feet while working-class families struggle, the Democratic majority should use all the legislative tools available to pass it,” she tweeted, an apparent reference to budget reconciliation, a tool that would allow Democrats to pass legislation by simple majority.

But policies that have no direct budgetary effects, or that are only incidental to the budget, are prohibited by reconciliation legislation, meaning that a minimum wage hike is likely to remain subject to a filibuster. of the GOP.

While Democrats could get a large chunk of Biden’s COVID-19 package through Congress without Republican backing, they’ll have little choice but to get GOP votes if they want to raise pay. minimum.

In the House, where Democrats can easily pass their favorite policies even with a slim majority, opposition from the GOP is already clear.

representative Jason smithJason Thomas SmithREAD: Republicans who voted to challenge election results House GOP raises concerns over Biden’s top Cabinet candidates, Jason Smith, who will be the top Republican on the House Budget Committee MORE (Mo.), the top Republican on the Budget Committee, called Biden’s proposal a liberal wishlist and decried the addition of “rules, costs and charges for small businesses.”

“Using an economic crisis as an excuse to push forward an unrelated agenda is the type of policy that hard-working Americans have had enough of,” he said.

A Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report on the 2019 Democratic Minimum Wage Bill said there was a range of possible employment outcomes, with job losses ranging from “around zero to 3.7 million “.

In the intermediate scenario, the economy would have 1.3 million fewer jobs, even though 1.3 million would be lifted out of poverty. Some 17 million people would see their incomes increase, the CBO estimated.

Conservative groups like the Job Creators Network say tax code changes are better than increasing the minimum wage.

“A better approach to helping entry-level workers and small businesses is the Biden administration’s proposal to extend the earned income tax credit,” said group chairman Alfredo Ortiz.

This approach, which Biden has included as part of his COVID-19 relief plan, requires the government to increase the incomes of low-wage workers, rather than companies.

Brian Gardner, chief Washington policy strategist for Stifel Financial Corp., said he expected Biden’s proposal to be curtailed through negotiations.

“We view yesterday’s post as an opening offer,” he said, predicting that a final package would be priced less than half of what Biden offered.

Getting a deal on the minimum wage will be a first test of Biden’s campaign assurances that he will be able to work on the other side to advance Democratic priorities.

His. Chuck grassleyChuck Grassley impeachment trial tests Trump’s grip on Senate GOP McConnell set to finalize Trump on political power Overnight healthcare: Biden unveils COVID-19 relief plan | Post-holiday surge hits deadly new records | Senate report denounces ‘broken’ system for rising insulin prices READ MORE (R-Iowa), who until recently chaired the Senate Finance Committee, was skeptical of the package, saying “few elements of this proposal seem capable of undermining the good intentions of the bill,” but also sounded a note of optimism.

“I am open to more relief in light of this crisis, but I will have to take a closer look at the proposal and maybe even see changes before I can offer my full support,” he said.