Departments

Senate Rejects Kennedy
Minimum Wage Increase and
Enzi FLSA Takeaways Amendments

On Wednesday the Senate considered dueling minimum wage amendments, and rejected both of them. First the Senate voted on an amendment by Senator Kennedy to increase the minimum wage by $1.10. This amendment was rejected by a vote of 47-51. All present Democrats voted for this amendment; four Republicans also voted for it (Chafee; DeWine; Santorum; Specter).

Second, the Senate voted on an amendment by Senator Enzi (R-WY) that combined the $1.10 minimum wage increase with FLSA takeaways (including proposals that would have eliminated the 40 hour workweek and replaced it with an 80 hour "work period" for purposes of overtime eligibility). This amendment was defeated by a vote of 42-57. All present Democrats voted against this amendment. They were joined by a group of right wing Republicans who didn't want to see any increase in the minimum wage.