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.
Nonpartisan Senate parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough determined lawmakers could not include the policy under budget reconciliation, CNBC confirmed. She and her staff heard arguments from Democrats and Republicans about whether the proposal met strict standards for deficit effects needed to include it in the process.
Reconciliation allows the Senate to pass bills with a simple majority — in this case with no Republicans who are wary of another massive rescue package. However, Democrats faced challenges in passing the pay hike regardless of whether the chamber’s rules allowed it in the legislation.
House Democrats included the $15 per hour minimum wage in the rescue bill they plan to approve Friday. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said in a statement Thursday that the provision „will remain“ in the relief bill as Democrats „are determined to pursue every possible path“ to a federal pay hike.
The decision means the Senate will likely pass a different version of the bill than the House, and representatives will have to approve the plan a second time.
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