(ReliableNews.org) – Senate Democrats abandoned their effort to include a minimum wage increase to $15 per year by 2025 in their $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package. Democrats had hoped to include the provision in the relief bill as part of a simple-majority rule reconciliation procedure. Otherwise, it would take 60 senators to pass the measure.
A group of Republicans led by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) introduced a bill in late February raising the minimum wage to $10/hr by 2025. Unlike the Democrat’s plan, theirs wouldn’t cost any American’s their jobs.
It’s clear a job-killing $15 dollar minimum wage can’t pass the Senate—but there are better alternatives.
Our bill would raise the minimum wage to $10 dollars and stop businesses from undermining American workers by hiring illegal labor.
https://t.co/98lrTY138v— Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) March 5, 2021
The bill would also require employers to use the E-Verify system to ensure their workers are eligible to work in the United States before hiring them. Any businesses caught hiring illegal immigrants would face steep fines.
Sen. Cotton told a panel at the recent CPAC conference that wage increases wouldn’t kick in until after the coronavirus pandemic ends. Additionally, smaller businesses would have a longer period of time to phase in the increases. Big companies would be expected to phase in the increases over four years, and small companies would have six years.
As Sen. Cotton pointed out, the minimum wage hasn’t increased in 12 years. This bill raises the minimum wage and keeps American jobs.
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