The Democratic Battle Over a $15 Minimum Wage Progressive Democrats stress that a wage jump would help scrape Americans out of poverty, especially after the public health and economic crises. Democrats are facing a string of intra-party divisions—despite holding a government trifecta in Washington—over raising the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour, a progressive priority that may be included in the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill. Disagreements among congressional Democrats are broiling, as the Senate parliamentarian, the official adviser on procedural issues, is slated to take on the wage hike this week to determine whether it can be featured as part of the massive spending package through a special procedure.