By Alexander Bolton - 02/04/21 06:00 AM EST
Senate parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough will soon play a crucial role in determining whether President Biden’s proposal to increase the minimum wage and other components of his $1.9 trillion relief package make it through Congress.
As legislative referee, MacDonough is tasked with deciding if provisions like raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour are allowed to pass the Senate with a simple-majority vote under a special process known as budget reconciliation.
The parliamentarian will pass judgment on what elements of Biden’s plan comply with the Byrd Rule, which lays out detailed requirements for protecting legislation from filibusters through the reconciliation process.