Sen. Joe Manchin, a key Democratic swing vote, told CNN that he would try to amend the Covid-19 relief package with a federal minimum wage hike of $11 an hour, a move he argues will allow the party to get behind a compromise on one of the thorniest issues in the debate.
Manchin said that he would make that move if the Senate parliamentarian finds the wage hike within the rules of the budget process that Democrats are employing to advance the Covid relief package without Republican support. He would need 51 votes to succeed.
"I would amend it to $11," he said. "$11 basically works for Americans and, we can do $11 in two years and be in a better position than they're going to be with $15 in five years."
Some context: The House Budget Committee voted 19 to 16 Monday to advance President Biden’s $1.9 trillion relief package. The committee will continue to hold votes on non-binding resolutions, but this is the official step triggering the legislation to go to the House floor for a vote later this week.
After that, the bill will got the Senate.
There, two Democratic moderates – Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona – have made it clear they are not comfortable voting for a coronavirus relief bill that includes an increase in the minimum wage to $15 over five years.