But signaling the Democratic Party’s reluctance to abandon the effort, the House was poised to push through the stimulus package, with the wage increase included, by early Saturday.
The minimum wage increase “is a value, this is a priority, and we will get it done, but let’s not be distracted from what is happening in this legislation,†said Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California.But Elizabeth MacDonough, the Senate parliamentarian, advised senators on Thursday that their legislation to gradually increase the minimum wage to $15 by 2025 would violate the strict budgetary rules that limit what can be included in a reconciliation measure.MacDonough, and demands for the elimination of the filibuster to allow Democrats to enact the wage increase and other marquee agenda items over Republican objections.
Biden has made clear he does not support any of those actions, sending top congressional Democrats searching for a wage proposal that could meet the stringent requirements of a reconciliation bill, which must have a direct effect on federal spending or revenues.
And liberal lawmakers said Democrats risked losing a crucial opportunity by not insisting on a large wage increase now, at the start of Mr.If Democrats cannot find a way to include the wage increase in the stimulus measure, the bill could lose support from progressives, although Ms.Pelosi said the House would “absolutely†pass the measure without the wage increase if needed.