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Nearly two dozen House progressives on Monday called on President BidenJoe BidenSenate holds longest vote in history as Democrats scramble to save relief bill Ex-Trump appointee arrested in Capitol riot complains he won't be able to sleep in jail Biden helps broker Senate deal on unemployment benefits MORE and Vice President Harris to overturn the Senate parliamentarians ruling that a $15 minimum wage could not be included in Democrats sweeping $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package.

Eighty-one million people cast their ballots to elect you on a platform that called for a $15 minimum wage, the progressives wrote in a letter to Biden and Harris that was spearheaded by Rep. Ro KhannaRohit (Ro) KhannaTexas power grid CEO fired in wake of massive storm outages How to create the next 10 great American tech clusters OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Interior reverses Trump policy that it says restricted science | Collins to back Haaland's Interior nomination | Republicans press Biden environment nominee on Obama-era policy MORE (D-Calif.), a leader of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

We urge you to keep that promise and call on the Presiding Officer of the Senate to refute the Senate Parliamentarians advice... and maintain the $15 minimum wage provision in the American Rescue Plan.

Progressives are furious over Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonoughs ruling last week that a provision to hike the federal minimum wage to $15per hour could not be part of the coronavirus stimulus package under the budget reconciliation process.

That process would allow Democrats to push through their massive COVID-19 relief package with a simple majority rather than the usual 60 votes, but the Senates Byrd Rule requires provisions to impact federal spending or revenue.

MacDonough, essentially the Senates chief referee, said the wage hike did not pass that test.

Progressives now want Harris who as vice president serves as president of the Senate to overrule the parliamentarian. Some progressives are going even further, saying MacDonough should be fired over her decision, something Republicans did back in 2001 after they didnt like a ruling of the parliamentarian.

But Biden and top White House officials have said they respect the ruling and are not entertaining either idea.

Over the weekend, the House passed a version of Bidens $1.9 trillion package that included the $15 wage hike.

But based on MacDonoughs ruling, the Senate this week is poised to strip that provision out and send it back to the House. Senate Democrats also have decided to drop their Plan B on the minimum wage, saying a provision authored by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron WydenRonald (Ron) Lee WydenSenate Democrats vote to provide 0 unemployment benefits into September Senate holds longest vote in history as Democrats scramble to save relief bill Biden helps broker Senate deal on unemployment benefits MORE (D-Ore.) to tax big corporations that do not pay their workers a higher wage will not be added to the package as it moves through the upper chamber.

But progressives see attaching the wage hike to the COVID-19 package as the best way to get the popular policy signed into law. And they argue that voters handed Democrats the White House, House and Senate last fall in part because of their promises to raise the minimum wage, which has been stuck at $7.25 per hour for the past 12 years.

We must act now to prevent tens of millions of hardworking Americans from being underpaid any longer, the progressives wrote. The outdated and complex Byrd rule rooted in restricting progress must not be an impediment to improving peoples lives. You have the authority to deliver a raise for millions of Americans.

In addition to Khanna, the letter was signed by Progressive Caucus Chairwoman Pramila JayapalPramila JayapalProgressives won't oppose bill over limits on stimulus checks Democrats snipe on policy, GOP brawls over Trump House Democrats' ambitious agenda set to run into Senate blockade MORE (D-Wash.); veteran progressives like Reps. Ral Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Barbara LeeBarbara Jean LeePro-Choice Caucus asks Biden to remove abortion fund restrictions from 2022 budget Progressives push White House to overturn wage ruling Lawmakers, Martin Luther King III discuss federal responses to systematic racism MORE (D-Calif.); progressive stars like Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-CortezAlexandria Ocasio-CortezProgressives won't oppose bill over limits on stimulus checks Bipartisan bill would ban lawmakers from buying, selling stocks The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Facebook - J&J vax rollout today; third woman accuses Cuomo MORE (D-N.Y.), Rashida TlaibRashida Harbi TlaibProgressives push White House to overturn wage ruling Six ways to visualize a divided America Jamaal Bowman's mother dies of COVID-19: 'I share her legacy with all of you' MORE (D-Mich.) and Ilhan OmarIlhan OmarHouse approves George Floyd Justice in Policing Act House Democrats' ambitious agenda set to run into Senate blockade Omar introduces bill to sanction Saudi crown prince over Khashoggi killing MORE (D-Minn.); and first-term Reps. Cori Bush (D-Mo.), Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) and Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.).

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