Sanders ‘Confident’ $15 Minimum Wage Will Pass Senate Without Republican Support

Topline

Chair of the Senate Budget Committee Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said Saturday he’s confident Democrats can pass a proposed minimum wage increase as part of the next stimulus bill without Republican support, despite uncertainty over the rules governing the limitations of budget reconciliation, a procedure Democrats are using to bypass Republican support for the next relief package.

Key Facts

Key Background

The evenly split Senate means all 50 Democrats will need to be on board in order for the relief bill to pass with a tie-breaking vote from Vice President Kamala Harris. President Biden’s lofty $1.9 trillion proposal will likely need to be trimmed to satisfy the party’s most conservative lawmakers, including Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.).

Chief Critic

“The minimum wage provision is not appropriate for the reconciliation process,” Sen. Krysten Sinema (D-Ariz.) said earlier this month, fueling doubts that a stimulus bill can pass with the proposed minimum wage increase. “It is not a budget item. And it shouldn’t be in there.”

What To Watch For

Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Friday he expects President Joe Biden will sign another round of relief before March 14, when enhanced federal unemployment benefits granted under the last relief bill in December are set to expire.

Tangent

Sanders is slated to meet with the CEOs of Walmart and McDonald’s on Thursday in a hearing entitled, “Why Should Taxpayers Subsidize Poverty Wages at Large Profitable Corporations?” A discussion on minimum wage is expected to be part of the agenda. 

Further Reading

House Democrats Advance $15 Minimum Wage But Hurdles Remain (Forbes)

Top Democrats Introduce Bill To Raise Minimum Wage To $15 By 2025 – Then Keep Raising It (Forbes)

Goldman Sachs: $15 Minimum Wage Is Unlikely Even Though It Would Benefit 30% Of American Workers (Forbes)