House and Senate progressives split over next steps on minimum wage – CNN
The first theme to emerge in progressives' reaction to the news has been to call out the parliamentarian, even going as far as calling for a replacement to fill the role, despite the White House's reaction to move forward with the parliamentarian's decision and the reality that overruling a parliamentarian decision is highly unlikely.
"As a representative of a community that is very deeply impacted by this issue, I know that going back to my family's community in the Bronx and in Queens, we can't tell them that this didn't get done because of an unelected parliamentarian," Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a progressive Democrat from New York, told reporters at the Capitol on Friday.
"All options should be on the table," Ocasio-Cortez added when asked if the parliamentarian should be fired as was done in 2001.
Congressional Progressive Caucus Chairwoman Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington state framed the parliamentarian's ruling to reporters as "an advisory opinion" instead of a final judgment.
Even though Vice President Kamala Harris technically has the power to overrule the parliamentarian, it is highly unlikely that that will happen.
But as progressives are showing, this is not a fight they can afford to give up.
"Democrats made a lot of promises in winning the House, the Senate and the White House, and it's going to come up again and again," Jayapal said. "So, we're going to have to make a choice here. Are we going to stick to these rules or are we actually going to use the levers of government to work for the people? To me that's not radical that's governing."
"I think it is really important for us to draw a hard line," Omar said on CNN's "Inside Politics."
"This majority wasn't given to us to sit on the sidelines," Omar continued, adding that it is "unacceptable" for Democrats to "continue to come up with excuses on why we can't do the right thing on behalf of the American people."
Even though progressives have made their deep-seeded anger well-known, short of withholding their vote on the Covid package, which none have signaled is a move they will take, their options are limited in terms of how they can force Congress to pass a $15 minimum wage bill given the makeup of the Senate.
"Progressives are furious with the parliamentarian's move and are pushing for the decision to be overruled, but they are not likely to sink the entire relief package over this. We all recognize that the real fight is over the filibuster and will continue to push to make sure we get rid of the filibuster so we can pass the President's agenda," a senior staffer to a prominent progressive member tells CNN.
As Ocasio-Cortez sees it there are two immediate options progressives can take: "Do something about this parliamentary obstacle or abolish the filibuster."
Ocasio-Cortez also floated to reporters that a standalone bill could be possible, but pointed to the hurdle that Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, who are against raising the minimum wage through reconciliation, present in the Senate.
"If we can pass a standalone bill, let's do it, but the fact that we have two people in this entire country -- two people in this entire country -- that are holding back a complete transformation in working people's lives, the same people who have held our country together throughout this pandemic, is wrong," Ocasio-Cortez said.
While House progressives are calling for dramatic and bold action to push a minimum wage increase through, their counterparts on the Senate side are far more measured on the topic. When the parliamentarian's ruling was revealed, Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent senator from Vermont who caucuses with the Democrats, did not entertain the idea of ignoring her ruling or breaking up the filibuster. Instead Sanders offered up an alternative plan to withhold tax breaks from large corporations from companies who refuse to pay their workers at least $15 an hour.
"In the coming days, I will be working with my colleagues in the Senate to move forward with an amendment to take tax deductions away from large, profitable corporations that don't pay workers at least $15 an hour and to provide small businesses with the incentives they need to raise wages. That amendment must be included in this reconciliation bill," Sanders said in a statement.
His plan was quickly supported by other key Senate leaders like Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.
The quick pivot to the alternative proposal shows Senate Democrats, even the most progressive ones, are unwilling to buck the traditions of the institution for something like a minimum wage hike despite the pleas from their House counterparts who don't have the power to make it happen.
Ocasio-Cortez was open to the idea of the tax penalty, telling reporters Sanders is "doing the right thing" by introducing the last-minute proposal, but warned "it's certainly not a replacement" for the long coveted $15 minimum wage legislation.
Members of the progressive group of Democratic lawmakers known as "The Squad" are not stopping from putting the pressure on the upper chamber to break with tradition. Omar said on CNN Friday that she wants to push the Senate and White House "to do the right thing" and "if not, then we have to look at our options in the House when the bill returns to us."
"I mean it's really important for us to use every single opportunity we have to engage in this fight to provide an actual path to increasing the minimum wage," Omar added.
A slew of progressive groups -- including Battle Born Collective, Justice Democrats, Data For Progress, Sunrise Movement and New Deal Strategies -- put out a joint statement Thursday night calling on lawmakers to put forward minimum wage as a standalone bill and abolish the filibuster if needed.
"Democrats should bring President Biden's popular policies like a $15 minimum wage straight to the Senate floor under regular order. If Republicans choose to block them, Democrats must abolish the filibuster to pass them. This approach is morally right, and it will deliver bigger, better results that the American people desperately need. It's that simple," the groups wrote.
The trepidation that most members of Congress feel over sending a minimum wage bill over to the Senate does not seem to faze Jayapal.
"The fears are not real," Jayapal said Friday, highlighting that progressives have public opinion on their side. "We have to bring all of that data out clearly including from constituents in West Virginia."
CLARIFICATION: This story has been updated to reflect two Democratic senators are against raising the minimum wage through the reconciliation process.
Read the original here:
House and Senate progressives split over next steps on minimum wage - CNN
- Progressives are on the rise nationally. Will the midterms help them regain ground in S.F.? - San Francisco Chronicle - November 3rd, 2026 [November 3rd, 2026]
- Establishment Democrats And Progressives Can Agree On 1 Thing: Haley Stevens Is A Traitor - HuffPost UK - November 3rd, 2026 [November 3rd, 2026]
- When Fresno Progressives Look in the Mirror, Do They See Donald Trump? - GV Wire - November 3rd, 2026 [November 3rd, 2026]
- Progressives Embrace of Socialism Portends Chaos and Decline - The Daily Signal - November 3rd, 2026 [November 3rd, 2026]
- Ulsan Democrats and progressives denounce court over luxury handbag lobbying ruling, call for Kim Gi-hyeon to resign - - November 3rd, 2026 [November 3rd, 2026]
- Establishment Democrats And Progressives Can Agree On 1 Thing: Haley Stevens Is A Traitor - HuffPost - November 3rd, 2026 [November 3rd, 2026]
- NY progressives have found a way to vote for Hochul, with an asterisk - Gothamist - November 1st, 2026 [November 1st, 2026]
- What progressives see in Central Florida for the midterms and beyond - Politico - November 1st, 2026 [November 1st, 2026]
- Progressives must show parents their vision for home-based childcare - The Washington Post - November 1st, 2026 [November 1st, 2026]
- Olivia Chow elected as Toronto mayor for second term in victory for progressives - The Guardian - November 1st, 2026 [November 1st, 2026]
- Progressives pile on Kean with new stock-trading attack ad - New Jersey Globe - November 1st, 2026 [November 1st, 2026]
- At rally with Villegas, AOC, local progressives are hopeful - Hanford Sentinel - November 1st, 2026 [November 1st, 2026]
- Conservatives and progressives alike believe in the importance of providing young people with a quality education - Cleveland.com - November 1st, 2026 [November 1st, 2026]
- 3 moments from Troy Jackson and Elizabeth Warrens latest appeal to progressives - Bangor Daily News - November 1st, 2026 [November 1st, 2026]
- Flowers: Bishop believes he sinned against progressives - Delco Times - November 1st, 2026 [November 1st, 2026]
- Progressives celebrate Lulas win, while the right spits out its dummy (again) - Left Foot Forward - November 1st, 2026 [November 1st, 2026]
- US midterms: Progressives rally behind war criminal Obamas attacks on Trump - Middle East Eye - November 1st, 2026 [November 1st, 2026]
- Road to the Midterms: Rise of the progressives in Michigan - AOL.com - November 1st, 2026 [November 1st, 2026]
- US midterms: Progressives, moderates and the future of MAGA - CNA - November 1st, 2026 [November 1st, 2026]
- Some Progressives Tried To Abolish the Tipped Minimum Wage. Now They're Backtracking. - Reason Magazine - October 17th, 2026 [October 17th, 2026]
- As Rubio Heads to India, US Progressives Sound Alarm About Repression and Surveillance of Protests - Common Dreams - October 17th, 2026 [October 17th, 2026]
- Progressives, AIPAC and the future of the Democratic Party - Al Jazeera - October 17th, 2026 [October 17th, 2026]
- Progressives Are Backing Puerto Rican Independence. Its About Time. - Yahoo - October 17th, 2026 [October 17th, 2026]
- Calmatters: Big Tech And Big Business Are Spending Millions To Block Progressives On The California Ballot - SFGATE - October 17th, 2026 [October 17th, 2026]
- Progressives Dont Necessarily Deliver on Transportation at the State Level, Either - Streetsblog USA - October 17th, 2026 [October 17th, 2026]
- As Progressives Prosper, Centrist Democrats Are Moving the Goalposts - The New Republic - October 17th, 2026 [October 17th, 2026]
- No Such Thing as Progressives: The Coming-Out of the Korean-Style Left - - October 17th, 2026 [October 17th, 2026]
- Bernie Sanders and other progressives are coming to Florida to campaign with Democrat Angie Nixon - WLRN - October 17th, 2026 [October 17th, 2026]
- Mamdani Orders a Review of NYPD's Use-Of-Force Policies as Progressives Call for Greater Change - U.S. News & World Report - October 17th, 2026 [October 17th, 2026]
- Progressives Are Backing Puerto Rican Independence. Its About Time. - The Nation - October 17th, 2026 [October 17th, 2026]
- Minneapolis progressives turn on George Floyd-era public safety overhaul, push to dismantle office - Fox News - October 17th, 2026 [October 17th, 2026]
- A Progressives Guide to the Ballot by Eric Kirk: Yes, No, and Why - Redheaded Blackbelt - October 17th, 2026 [October 17th, 2026]
- Mamdani orders a review of NYPD's use-of-force policies as progressives call for greater change - Henry Herald - October 17th, 2026 [October 17th, 2026]
- Progressives, AIPAC & the future of the Democratic Party: Neera Tanden & Mehdi Hasan | Head to Head - Modern Ghana - October 17th, 2026 [October 17th, 2026]
- 'If Abdul can win in Michigan, anyone can win anywhere': Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez outlines stakes for progressives at NYC fundraiser - ABC News -... - October 6th, 2026 [October 6th, 2026]
- Progressives Performative Billionaire-Bashing Hurts the Cities They Govern - National Review - October 6th, 2026 [October 6th, 2026]
- Can Football Help Illinois Progressives Achieve Their Policy Goals? What Does the Magic 8 Ball Say? - River Cities' Reader - October 6th, 2026 [October 6th, 2026]
- Meet the 20-Somethings Raising Money for Top Progressives - Campaigns & Elections - October 6th, 2026 [October 6th, 2026]
- Progressives Saw Wins in DNC, But Battle for the Future of the Party Continues - Truthout - October 6th, 2026 [October 6th, 2026]
- Progressives Performative Billionaire-Bashing Hurts the Cities They Govern National Review - Wirepoints - October 6th, 2026 [October 6th, 2026]
- Matthew Syed: Condemn settlers, yes, but beware progressives sinister coalition - The Times - October 4th, 2026 [October 4th, 2026]
- For Progressives, Big Tech is Becoming the New Big Oil - theamericanconservative.com - October 4th, 2026 [October 4th, 2026]
- Progressives need their own story of national renewal Interviews - IPS Journal - October 4th, 2026 [October 4th, 2026]
- Michigan and California Races Test Progressives Broad Appeal - Bloomberg Government News - October 4th, 2026 [October 4th, 2026]
- What a year 2022 has been. So, now what progressives? Tell us your thoughts! - actionnetwork.org - October 4th, 2026 [October 4th, 2026]
- Good Morning, News: Mayor Campaigns Against Progressives, Cyclists Protest Moda Deal, and Trump Uses YOUR Money to Spread Hate - Portland Mercury - October 4th, 2026 [October 4th, 2026]
- Abdul El-Sayed Is Making Headway But Not Just With Progressives - Arab America - October 4th, 2026 [October 4th, 2026]
- The 'Progressives' are not yet ready to work in opposition or in the ruling coalition - Inbox.eu - October 4th, 2026 [October 4th, 2026]
- Progressives' party member expelled over nature of relations with minor / Article - LSM - October 4th, 2026 [October 4th, 2026]
- In North America, the most votes in the Saeima elections were cast for the 'Progressives', 'New Unity', and 'United List' - Inbox.lv - October 4th, 2026 [October 4th, 2026]
- So What Are Progressives Supposed to Do About Public Education? - Slate Magazine - September 28th, 2026 [September 28th, 2026]
- Opinion | Real progressives go to the library - The Pitt News - September 22nd, 2026 [September 22nd, 2026]
- Nikole Hannah-Jones and the hard bigotry of progressives - The Spectator - September 22nd, 2026 [September 22nd, 2026]
- The Kirkaversary speaks to the sickness of progressives - spiked-online.com - September 17th, 2026 [September 17th, 2026]
- Chicago mayor bets progressives will turn out for him in announcing reelection bid - Politico - September 17th, 2026 [September 17th, 2026]
- Republicans talk about the national debt. Its up to progressives to fix it. - ajc.com - September 17th, 2026 [September 17th, 2026]
- Mayor Johnson embarks on reelection bid, says hes best choice in race between real progressives and posers - Chicago Sun-Times - September 17th, 2026 [September 17th, 2026]
- Progressives Supply the Vocabulary. Islamists Supply the Narrative - The Times of Israel - September 17th, 2026 [September 17th, 2026]
- Hasan Piker cheerleads progressives as 80-year-old senator wins six more years - Fox News - September 8th, 2026 [September 8th, 2026]
- DNC Chair Ken Martin on progressives growing the Democratic coalition - Yahoo - September 8th, 2026 [September 8th, 2026]
- Bernie and Mamdani did it, can the rest of the progressives? Democracy and society - IPS Journal - September 8th, 2026 [September 8th, 2026]
- Merkur brings linked progressives and new cabinets to G2E 2026 - Yogonet - September 8th, 2026 [September 8th, 2026]
- Policy Pro: Council progressives push fall housing agenda - The Real Deal - September 8th, 2026 [September 8th, 2026]
- Transcript: How Progressives Can Revive the Police Reform Movement - The New Republic - September 8th, 2026 [September 8th, 2026]
- Progressives are learning the hard way how to survive Fox News - Politico - August 31st, 2026 [August 31st, 2026]
- Senator Markey fields national progressives to make his case in primary race against Moulton - The Boston Globe - August 31st, 2026 [August 31st, 2026]
- Progressives Warn Democrats Endlessly Invoking Hasan Piker to 'Get Their Shit Together' - Common Dreams - August 31st, 2026 [August 31st, 2026]
- In the Age of Trump, Progressives Should Stand Up for Sovereignty - Inkstick Media - August 27th, 2026 [August 27th, 2026]
- Aspiring politician? NJ progressives are actively recruiting candidates for 2027. - Gothamist - August 27th, 2026 [August 27th, 2026]
- Democrats and progressives wrestle with the Woke 1.0 era - Yahoo - August 27th, 2026 [August 27th, 2026]
- Democrats and progressives wrestle with the Woke 1.0 era - The Week - August 27th, 2026 [August 27th, 2026]
- Mass. primary is pitting new progressives against old-school organized labor - Spectrum News - August 27th, 2026 [August 27th, 2026]
- Are Too Many Vancouver Progressives Running for Mayor? - The Tyee - August 27th, 2026 [August 27th, 2026]
- Two Black Progressives Made History Tuesday Night. Neither Waited for Permission. - The Root - August 27th, 2026 [August 27th, 2026]
- The Information State: Progressives Road to Dystopia - Mises Institute - August 27th, 2026 [August 27th, 2026]
- Democratic star AOC caught in balancing act between progressives and centrists - The Observer - August 27th, 2026 [August 27th, 2026]
- Why are progressives winning across the United States? Its not complicated | Bernie Sanders - The Guardian - August 22nd, 2026 [August 22nd, 2026]
- In a Big Year for Progressives, Heres Why These Moderates Won Their Primaries - The New York Times - August 22nd, 2026 [August 22nd, 2026]
- South Korean progressives' 'Park Chung-hee' coalition in the AI era - Nikkei Asia - August 22nd, 2026 [August 22nd, 2026]
- Trump and Vance lead GOP midterm push as progressives head to Uruguay - Fox News - August 22nd, 2026 [August 22nd, 2026]