Thumbs down: Delaware Democrats Coons, Carper help sink $15 per hour minimum

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., pushed for the Senate to ignore a parliamentary ruling and allow for passage of the higher minimum wage. The effort came as Senate Democrats passed a $1.9 trillion COVID relief act.

The current federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.

The Senate voted 58-42 against Sanders’ $15 per hour push. Coons, Carper along with centrists such as U.S. Sens. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and Joe Manchin of West Virginia joined Republicans in opposing the measure.

While Sinema, Manchin and some other Democrats opposed going to the $15 per hour age, Carper said he backs raising the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour in a future effort. 

Sinema is facing some criticism from progressives for giving a thumbs down when casting her ‘no’ vote. That mirrored the late U.S. Sen. John McCain’s dramatic vote against fellow Republicans on repealing Obamacare.

Here is Carper’s statement on the issue:

“We know that hard-working families in Delaware and throughout the country deserve more support. Americans who are working full time should be earning a living wage that allows them to support themselves and their families. As Governor of Delaware, I led not one, but three successful efforts to raise my state’s minimum wage, and I have backed a $15 minimum wage on the federal level for years. At a time when our economy is still slowly recovering, though, policymakers have a responsibility to be especially mindful of the fragile state of small businesses all across this country – many of which are fighting just to stay open during this unprecedented crisis.  In the months to come, I commit to working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to craft a sustainable path forward on raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour and raising the tipped wage as well. We can do this in a way that heeds the unique needs of small businesses at this moment, gives millions of workers in this country a long overdue raise and lifts families out of poverty.”

U.S. Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin, both Maryland Democrats, voted for Sanders’ measure.  President Joe Biden also supports a $15 per hour wage but the measure was not approved as part of the Senate’s COVID relief actions.