New year, new Congress, but a familiar agenda awaits

Published: 2007-01-09

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- It's apt that the start of the new congressional term coincides with the time of year when people are optimistically making New Year's resolutions. Lose weight, get to the gym more often, pass comprehensive immigration reform, raise the minimum wage, make sure the farm bill reauthorization helps protect family farmers ... you know, the usual. With Democrats controlling both houses of Congress for the first time in 12 years, the dynamics behind what legislation advances will differ from what they have been under the Republican majority, which could be good news for some long-standing wish lists. Increasing the minimum wage has long been a top priority for advocates in the Catholic Church and for a growing coalition of religiously motivated groups and individuals, such as Call to Renewal, which has an anti-poverty campaign addressing wages, affordable housing and health care. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., includes raising the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour, from its current level of $5.15, among the priorities for the House's first 100 hours of business. A bill to increase it was to be voted on Jan. 10.

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