Under pressure from their own moderates, the Republican leadership in the House of Representatives agreed to allow a vote on raising the minimum wage. The minimum wage has not been raised in 10 years, and Democrats have been pushing hard to make it an issue in the 2006 elections. The measure still faces heavy opposition however, and may join the private pension overhaul in its mire of political acrimony.
See "House to Vote on Increase in Minimum Wage", Jonathan Weisman, The Washington Post, July 27, 2006