Senate centrists weigh brokering deals on immigration, minimum wage
From Politico:
A bipartisan group of senators who successfully pushed for a second coronavirus aid bill last year will meet on Wednesday as they weigh whether to wade into another thorny topic, such as immigration or the minimum wage.
The group of 20, evenly split between Republicans and Democrats, was formed to push Congress to pass a $900 billion pandemic stimulus bill late last year. Its meeting this week comes as the House prepares to pass immigration bills that will further reinforce the Senate’s gridlock on that issue without some bipartisan framework to break the impasse. ….
The senatorial bloc also could wield its influence over a future infrastructure package that President Joe Biden and Democratic leaders have prioritized. But Democrats are actively searching for GOP partners to work on two more divisive issues, immigration and the minimum wage.
Senate Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said Monday he would begin discussions with Republicans on legislation aimed at protecting the immigrant population known as Dreamers and farm workers. And Biden and some centrist Democrats have said they are open to negotiating with Republicans on the minimum wage.
bh