Biden applauds House for OK relief bill | Politics

At the same time, Democrats were trying to figure out how to appease Liberals who had lost their top priority in a heartbreaking Senate setback on Thursday.

Non-partisan parliamentarian in this chamber, Elizabeth MacDonough, said Senate rules demanded that a federal minimum wage increase be removed from the COVID-19 bill, leaving the life-sustaining proposal behind. The measure would gradually raise this minimum to $ 15 an hour by 2025, doubling the current floor of $ 7.25 in effect since 2009.

Hoping to jumpstart the effort in some form or another, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, DN.Y., is considering adding a provision to the Senate version of the relief bill. COVID-19 that would penalize large companies that do not pay workers at least $ 15. one hour, said a senior Democratic official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal conversations.

It was in line with the ideas launched Thursday evening by Sens….