Pelosi vows to keep minimum wage provision in House bill; Harris could act

The Senate's chief parliamentarian ruled Thursday that a federal minimum wage hike should not be included in the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package, but the decision seemed to do little to deter House Democrats from continuing the fight—despite its nearly impossible odds in the Senate.

Vice President Harris can also override the parliamentarian ruling, but the move is considered unlikely. Ron Klain, President Biden’s chief of staff, said in an interview this week that a Harris override is "not something we would do." The decision was seen as a devastating blow by the chamber’s nonpartisan arbiter to the Democrat cause. Senate Democrats wanted to avoid having to deal with a Republican filibuster and employ a process called budget reconciliation. Under the process, Democrats would be able to pass the bill in the Senate with a simple majority. But budget reconciliation comes with additional rules, including what provisions can be added to these bills. The Associated Press reported that Democrats have a 10-vote edge in the House and are tied in the Senate 50-50. Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona have voiced opposition to the minimum wage hike in the relief bill, and other moderates have expressed concerns, too.