There is “not one senator” that does not believe in raising the federal minimum wage, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) says. But to how much, that is still in debate.
“There’s not one senator out of 100 that does not want to raise the minimum wage,” Manchin said during a CNN interview Sunday. “Not one.”
He added, “The $15 minimum wage never fit in this piece of reconciliation,” pointing to the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill.
When asked how high he would go on raising the federal minimum wage, Manchin said he believes every full-time worker should be receiving enough to live above the federal poverty line.
He noted that would be at $11 per hour.
“Once it gets above $11, it should be indexed so it never becomes a political football again,” Manchin said.”
The current federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.
Watch Manchin’s comments below:
Minimum wage exchange: @jaketapper: “…Is there anything situation where you would go higher than $11 an hour?”
Sen. Manchin: “We are going to go and do something … the $15 minimum wage never fit in this piece of reconciliation, those are the rules of the Senate.” pic.twitter.com/cj55GzxohT
— The Recount (@therecount) March 7, 2021
White House Communications Director Kate Bedingfield also spoke with CNN on Sunday, where she told CNN’s Jake Tapper that President Joe Biden is “committed” to raising the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour.
In Congress, the Senate passed Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief plan over the weekend in a 50-49 vote. The House of Representatives is expected to pass the bill on Tuesday.