Minimum Wage Increase Plan Blocked by Senate Republicans
This article is for subscribers only.
U.S. Senate Republicans blocked legislation to raise the federal minimum wage as the chamber’s Democrats pledged to hold more votes on the measure before November’s election.
Supporters had only 54 votes, with 60 required, to advance the bill, which would increase the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour from $7.25. President Barack Obama, who called for the increase in his January State of the Union address, accused Republicans of pushing a “top-down” economic policy that benefits the most wealthy at the expense of lower- and middle-income Americans.