fbpx

[BREAKING] Senate Parliamentarian Says Min Wage Increase Can’t Go In Dems’ Relief Bill

BY February 26, 2021

The Parliamentarian of the United States Senate is the official advisor to the United States Senate on the interpretation of Standing Rules of the United States Senate and parliamentary procedure. The current parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough, made history as the first woman in the politically neutral role, but she’s not getting too many kudos from Democrats after ruling against the proposed minimum wage increase from their Covid relief aid package.

The minimum wage increase is still likely to be included in the House bill on which the chamber is voting Friday. However, the parliamentarian ruled that the increase to $15 per hour did not meet a strict set of guidelines needed to move forward in the Senate’s reconciliation process. That means that the House will pass their bill, the Senate will have to strip the minimum wage provision out and then eventually, the House will have to pass that bill again at the end of the process.

Sebastian Vital/Flickr

Senate Budget Chairman Bernie Sanders had been working for weeks to include the provision in the bill. This likely makes it easier for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to get his members in line behind the bill since the rise in the minimum wage had been a key sticking point for moderates like Senators Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and Joe Manchin of West Virginia.

[This is a developing story, please check back for updates]



Follow Us On: Facebook and Twitter