Guest blogger: Congresspedia intern John Benton [3]

Today, for the first time since 1997, the federal minimum wage is being raised. As dictated by legislation passed by Congress earlier this year and signed into law by President Bush, the wage rises from $5.15/hr. to $5.85/hr. today and will continue to periodically rise until it settles at $7.25 in June 2009. According to the Economic Policy Institute, a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank, the increase will ultimately lift the wages of 12.5 million workers.

The Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007 (H.R.2), which called for the wage increase described above, was one of the first bills to pass in the House this year and was one of six measures highlighted as part of the new Democratic majority's "First 100 Hours" agenda. The key vote was for final approval and the measure passed by 315-116 on January 10th. The Bush administration opposed the bill, as it did not include tax breaks for small businesses, who it argued the wage increase would hurt most.

To see how your representative voted, see Congresspedia's breakdown of the House vote [4].

In the Senate, Democratic leaders tried to simply pass the House bill, but Republicans filibustered [5] that move and a 54-43 vote to close debate fell short of the 60 votes needed. When tax cuts for small businesses ($8.3 billion worth) were added, the bill passed the Senate overwhelmingly, 94-3, and was opposed only by GOP Sens. Tom Coburn [6] (R-Okla.), Jim DeMint [7] (R-S.C.), and Jon Kyl [8] (R-Ariz.). Ultimately, both the House and Senate approved the wage increase with tax breaks (though only $4.8 billion worth, considerably less than the original Senate bill) as part of an emergency supplemental bill regarding Hurricane Katrina, the Iraq War, and funding for military veterans. President Bush signed the measure in May 2007, allowing it to go into effect today.

To see how your senators voted on the two key minimum wage measures, see Congresspedia's coverage of both the failed Senate cloture vote [9] and the version which included tax breaks and ultimately passed [10].

For more information on all minimum wage votes in the 110th Congress [11], as well as historical analysis and info regarding wage policies and current proposals in the states, be sure to check out Congresspedia [12]'s comprehensive minimum wage article [13].