1.900 trillion won passed through the House of Representatives
Senate secretariat brakes batch processing of minimum wage increase
Progressive camp “No voter disappointment”… deepening worries
U.S. President Joe Biden is holding a press conference at the White House on the 27th calling for the passage of the Senate to support the Corona 19 economy. Washington = EPA Yonhap News
The’minimum wage increase’ has emerged as the biggest test to determine whether the US President Joe Biden’s policy will land softly. First of all, the’super economic stimulus plan’ worth $1.9 trillion (about 2,140 trillion won) has crossed the threshold of the House of Representatives, but the core agenda, the plan to raise the minimum wage, is ripe for an atmosphere that cannot easily cross the wall of the Senate. Even within the ruling Democratic Party, opinions differ and it is difficult to even organize a single team.
According to foreign media on the 27th (local time), the US House of Representatives passed a new coronavirus infection (Corona 19) economic stimulus plan the day before with 219 in favor and 212 against. Considering that the House of Representatives has 221 seats for the Democratic Party, 211 seats for the Republican Party, and three vacant seats, the ballot was mostly made according to the party’s opinion. President Biden said, “I don’t have time to hesitate,” and called on the Senate to expedite it.
However, considerable thorns are expected to pass through the Senate. The biggest issue is a proposal to raise the minimum wage, which is currently $7.25 per hour, to $15 by 2025. The Democratic Party is pursuing a batch process of stimulus bills by packaged the minimum wage cases. It is a kind of’bypass strategy’ to overcome the pretense of the Republican Party that opposes association due to adverse employment effects. Originally, 60 out of 100 senators were required to approve the bill, but as it was difficult to pass, the Democratic Party’s plan was to include the minimum wage in the support plan and then invoke the’budget adjustment right’ to handle the bill alone. In this case, Vice President Kamala Harris will be able to exercise the casting boat and vote with a simple majority (51).
However, the Democratic Party’s strategy to push it with force encountered an unexpected rock. On this day, the Senate secretariat gave an authoritative interpretation that “the minimum wage is not subject to budget adjustment.” Dangjeong fell into trouble. The additional stimulus plan is the Biden administration’s emphasis on overcoming Corona 19, but if it does, it is because the presidential election pledge and supporters cannot give up the increase in the minimum wage.
As expected, the Democratic progressive camp is pressing the original bill to pass. Pramila Jayapal, co-chairman of the Progressive Caucus of Congress, warned that “(the minimum wage increase) is a matter of keeping the promises or not,” and “don’t disappoint the voters.” On the other hand, some moderates in the party still hold a negative position on the batch treatment of the minimum wage, so even if they vote, the possibility of rejection due to rebellion cannot be ruled out. The Daily Wall Street Journal said, “Over the issue of the minimum wage, President Biden faced the first challenge of uniting the Democratic Party and forming relations with the progressives.”
Heo Gyeongju reporter [email protected]
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