House Democrats unveil draft of stimulus measures, which include a minimum wage increase and $130 billion for reopening K-12 schools

• The House Committee on Education and Labor released a draft budget bill on Monday as part of the pandemic reconciliation package, detailing key parts of the stimulus relief package.
• The bill includes a federal minimum wage increase, funding for reopening K-12 schools, and nutrition benefits.
• House committees are expected to meet in the coming days to vote on elements of the pandemic package.

The House Committee on Education and Labor released a draft of its budget bill on Monday, detailing key components of the pandemic relief package. It includes a gradual federal minimum wage increase, funding for reopening K-12 schools, and additional pandemic benefits.

Led by Education and Labor Chair Bobby Scott, the draft bill is part of the Democrats' efforts to pass President Joe Biden's $2 trillion stimulus plan through budget reconciliation.

The bill includes language on a federal minimum wage increase to $15 an hour by 2025, a measure that was in the spotlight Monday after the Congressional Budget Office released a report on the impact the Raise the Wage Act of 2021 would have on the federal budget. The House bill outlines the course the wage increase should take each year, starting at $9.50 on the effective start date of the legislation and ending at $15 an hour.

Other elements of the bill include:

• $130 billion for reopening K-12 schools;
• $40 billion for higher education;
• $5 billion for extended COVID-19 food benefits;
• $1.4 billion for senior-care services;
• And stricter workplace safety guidelines during the pandemic.

In response to the federal minimum wage increase included in the bill, the Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal said in a statement that "there's no excuse to pay workers a poverty wage - every job has dignity and every worker deserves a livable wage."

"In the midst of a deadly pandemic, millions of American workers are risking their lives for poverty wages that haven't been raised in over a decade," Jayapal said. "It's long past time for Congress to right this wrong and enact a minimum wage that allows families to live with dignity."

This draft bill is part of the House's pandemic reconciliation package, and House committees are expected to meet in the days ahead of the House floor vote on the package to determine what will be included.