Senate parliamentarian nixes minimum wage boost in aid package

Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough has told senators that the federal minimum wage increase President Joe Biden and Democrats have been seeking would violate the chamber's rules for inclusion in a filibuster-proof pandemic relief reconciliation bill.

Two sources familiar with the discussions confirmed the ruling, which emerged after arguments from aides to both parties in closed-door meetings with MacDonough this week.

The decision dealt a blow to Democratic hopes of tacking the long-sought rise in the minimum wage onto the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package that's taking shape. While the provision would affect the federal budget significantly, MacDonough deemed the impact "merely incidental" to the underlying policy intent of the wage boost, therefore violating the Senate's "Byrd rule.”