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Democrats cannot include a $ 15 minimum wage hike as part of the $ 1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, a senior Senate official said Thursday.
The decision of Senator Elizabeth MacDonough dealt a blow to progressives, who had pushed to include such a provision in the bill.
MacDonough, the non-partisan Senate rules arbiter, issued a directive saying she did not believe the change was in line with the reconciliation guidelines, the fast-track process Democrats use to pass the bill.
Senate Budget Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders, who previously said he was optimistic MacDonough would support the provision, criticized the finding on Thursday evening.
“I strongly disagree with the Senate Parliamentarian’s ruling tonight,” Vermont lawmaker said said in a press release.
“The fight to raise the minimum wage to $ 15 an hour continues,” he added.
Republicans, meanwhile, hailed the decision.
“Very pleased that the Senate parliamentarian has ruled that an increase in the minimum wage is an inappropriate policy change for reconciliation,” mentionned Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, the most Republican of the Senate Budget Committee.
“This decision will strengthen the traditions of the Senate over time.
Some moderate Democrats, including Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, have expressed opposition to the inclusion of the minimum wage increase in the relief bill.
This suggests that Democrats would not have the necessary votes to push through the provision, if they chose to break decades of Senate precedent, ignore the parliamentarian’s point of view and keep it in the bill.
With pole wires
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