Michigan Dems want Senate to override ruling on $15 hourly wage

Washington — Michigan Democrats in Congress are pressing the Senate to overrule the parliamentarian who advised against including a $15 minimum wage increase as part of the latest COVID-19 relief package.

The House lawmakers argue that Democrats should disregard the parliamentarian's ruling and maintain the wage proposal in the $1.9 trillion legislation, which the Democratic-led House adopted Saturday.

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U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a Detroit Democrat, organized a Monday letter with Rep. Ro Khanna of California to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, urging them to "refute" the parliamentarian's ruling. 

Joined by 21 lawmakers, the progressive lawmakers want Harris to use her authority as president of the Senate to overrule the parliamentarian’s advice.

Tlaib, who represents the third poorest congressional district, said Monday she was "extremely disappointed" in the ruling, but that lawmakers needed to press forward, citing the severe economic crisis caused by the pandemic.

"My folks have been waiting too long," she said. "This imaginary wall that people are creating with this parliamentarian's decision, that is not a wall. That was just a little bump, that is saying, 'Okay, then you got to do it a different route.'"

"I promise you the overwhelming support outside of the halls of Congress is there to give us the backing that's needed," she added. 

The federal minimum wage is currently $7.25 per hour, and the proposal would phase in the $15 hourly wage over five years.

Reps. Debbie Dingell, D-Dearborn, and Andy Levin, D-Bloomfield Township, also signed onto Tlaib's letter with Khanna.

Levin argued that taxpayers are effectively subsidizing corporations like Walmart and McDonald's that pay "poverty" wages by the federal government paying for food stamps and other assistance for these workers and their families.

"Let's make every American have the ability to not live in poverty when they work full time. The idea that the impact on the budget of raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour is incidental is ridiculous," Levin said.

"It's not factually accurate. And we should just thank the parliamentarian for her advice, respect her completely, and make our own correct decision to move forward with this."

But the White House reiterated Monday that Biden "respects" the parliamentarian's decision and the Senate's process. 

Asked why the White House was not more aggressively challenging the ruling, Press Secretary Jen Psaki dismissed the idea of having Harris overrule the parliamentarian, saying both Biden and Harris respect the history of the Senate.

"That's not an action we intend to take. But the president is committed to raising the minimum wage, to working to determine the best vehicle forward to doing that," Psaki said.

"That's why he put it in the package. He wants it to be raised to $15 an hour, and he will be in touch with leaders from all wings of the party in determining the best path forward for that."

Neither of Michigan's senators has publicly expressed support for overruling the parliamentarian.

Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing, said Monday she strongly supports the $15 minimum wage provision "to lift people out of poverty," but she doesn't see that happening in this legislation.

"I think the reality is that we're not going to be able to do that in this particular package," said Stabenow, who is part of the Senate Democratic leadership. "I'm going to keep working hard to find a way to do that."

Sen. Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, said he's disappointed with the parliamentarian's ruling because "nobody who works full-time in this country should have to live in poverty." 

"I support raising the minimum wage to $15 and will work with my colleagues on the best path forward," Peters said in a statement to The Detroit News.

"Right now, my focus is on passing the American Rescue Plan, including $1,400 stimulus checks — which is critical for Michiganders and Americans who are hurting because of this pandemic, resources to help schools safely reopen and to speed up the distribution of vaccines.”

Biden is aiming to pass his American Rescue Plan by mid-March when enhanced unemployment and other benefits are due to expire. 

Michigan House Republicans, who voted against the COVID relief package, argue that it wage provision is not related to relief from the pandemic.

Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Tipton, noted the Congressional Budget Office concluded the wage provision could put 1.4 million Americans out of work. 

The same CBO analysis said increasing the wage to $15 an hour would also lift about 900,000 out of poverty and boost wages for at least 17 million people. 

"When I started out at a gas station pumping gas, I wasn’t worth the minimum wage at the time," Walberg said. 

"If you say every person who’s going to work at a fast food restaurant is deserving from day one of $15 an hour — I don’t think my kids would have been worth that."

mburke@detroitnews.com

Staff Writer Jordyn Grzelewski contributed.