Richard Tafoya
Dec 14th, 2006, 08:26 PM
Reuters:
http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=politicsNews&storyid=2006-12-15T013008Z_01_N07222877_RTRUKOC_0_US-USA-WAGE-POLITICS.xml
The incoming Democratic-led U.S. Congress intends to give a hand to dishwashers, fast-food cooks and America's other poorest-paid workers by raising the federal minimum wage for the first time in a decade.
With the gap between rich and poor widening, Democrats promised such a pay hike as a part of their campaign that saw them win control of both chambers of Congress in the November 7 elections from President George W. Bush's Republicans.
With the new 110th Congress set to convene on January 4, Democrats vow a vote soon on a bill to raise the minimum wage over two years to $7.25 per hour from $5.15 per hour. And they seem positioned to make the popular measure law.
"This is a moral issue, as well as an issue of economic fairness and justice," said Steny Hoyer of Maryland, who will be the House of Representatives' Democratic majority leader.
"No one can meet even the most basic expenses on today's minimum wages," said Rep. George Miller, a California Democrat who will chair the labor committee in the House of Representatives.
Republicans have long blocked an increase, but in the aftermath of last month's election may no longer have the will or the votes. Yet they will try to attach to such a bill a tax break for small business to help offset it.
http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=politicsNews&storyid=2006-12-15T013008Z_01_N07222877_RTRUKOC_0_US-USA-WAGE-POLITICS.xml
The incoming Democratic-led U.S. Congress intends to give a hand to dishwashers, fast-food cooks and America's other poorest-paid workers by raising the federal minimum wage for the first time in a decade.
With the gap between rich and poor widening, Democrats promised such a pay hike as a part of their campaign that saw them win control of both chambers of Congress in the November 7 elections from President George W. Bush's Republicans.
With the new 110th Congress set to convene on January 4, Democrats vow a vote soon on a bill to raise the minimum wage over two years to $7.25 per hour from $5.15 per hour. And they seem positioned to make the popular measure law.
"This is a moral issue, as well as an issue of economic fairness and justice," said Steny Hoyer of Maryland, who will be the House of Representatives' Democratic majority leader.
"No one can meet even the most basic expenses on today's minimum wages," said Rep. George Miller, a California Democrat who will chair the labor committee in the House of Representatives.
Republicans have long blocked an increase, but in the aftermath of last month's election may no longer have the will or the votes. Yet they will try to attach to such a bill a tax break for small business to help offset it.