The minimum wage has been the same for eight years and it looks like any change could take a few more years.
The senate easily rejected two proposals to raise it from its current level of five dollars and 15 cents an hour.
Senator Edward Kennedy wanted to raise it to seven dollars and 25 cents an hour over two years.
Republicans offered to increase the minimum wage by one dollar and ten cents over 18 months. That plan also includes some tax breaks and flexibility in the work week that could have meant not getting paid overtime for working more than 40 hours.
Both proposals were amendments to the bankruptcy bill, which the senate has been working on for several days.
