Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the bulk chief, stated on Tuesday that he was combating to incorporate the plan to extend the minimal wage to $15 an hour by 2025 within the Senate’s model of the sweeping invoice that Democrats are drafting to hold Mr. Biden’s plans. Mr. Schumer stated he was working with the Senate official charged with decoding the chamber’s guidelines to ensure the plan might go muster in response to strict requirements for what could be included in a budget-reconciliation measure. Democrats are decided to advance the stimulus package deal as a part of a reconciliation invoice, which requires solely a easy majority to go and thus may very well be enacted, if obligatory, with out Republican assist.
But it’s unclear whether or not the wage enhance qualifies underneath the restrictive guidelines, and Mr. Biden has stated he doesn’t count on it to outlive. Mr. Schumer wouldn’t say whether or not Democrats would take the extraordinary step of attempting to overrule the Senate’s parliamentarian, if obligatory, to insist on its inclusion.
His remarks got here as he appeared with the newly put in Democratic chairmen of the committees charged with contemplating the stimulus package deal, and simply because the Senate was to start the second impeachment trial of former President Donald J. Trump.
“To the pundits who said we can’t do both at once, we say you are wrong,” Mr. Schumer stated. “We can and we are.” Asked by reporters on Tuesday afternoon if he was watching the trial, Mr. Biden stated he was not.
Before the trial started, Republicans on the Senate Homeland Security Committee questioned Mr. Biden’s nominee to move the White House Office of Management and Budget, Neera Tanden, about previous Twitter posts vital of Republicans.
The committee’s top-ranking Republican, Senator Rob Portman of Ohio, learn a number of of these posts in his opening spherical of questions, together with one wherein Ms. Tanden referred to Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the minority chief, as “Moscow Mitch,” and one other that stated that “vampires have more heart than Ted Cruz,” the Republican senator from Texas.
Ms. Tanden apologized for these and different posts. “I deeply regret and apologize for my language, some of my past language,” Ms. Tanden stated. “I recognize that this role is a bipartisan role, and I recognize I have to earn the trust of senators across the board.”
Kate Kelly contributed reporting.