Michigan Democrat Debbie Stabenow is criticizing her Republican Senate colleagues for blocking a vote on increasing the federal minimum wage.
The bill would have gradually increased the current $7.25 an hour to $10.10.
Democrats say it would have helped millions of low-income families.
Stabenow says GOP opposition to the wage hike and to legislation to require equal pay for women is "unacceptable".
“This is really the one-two punch that hurts women in Michigan,” says Stabenow.
U.S. Senate Republicans say a minimum wage hike would cost jobs.
Michigan state lawmakers are also debating a state minimum wage hike. A proposal to boost the state minimum wage to $10.10 an hour by 2017 could go on the ballot this fall.
