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Politics

Minimum wage hike plan hits bump in Senate

By TIMES WIRES
Published January 25, 2007

The minimum wage increase that was supposed to zip through Congress veered onto a collision course Wednesday as lawmakers argued over business tax breaks that would be attached to ensure Republican support.

Democratic leaders in the House began laying groundwork to blame the Republicans for any impasse. Senate Democrats, however, cautioned their House colleagues not to jeopardize legislation they had promised to approve if they gained control of Congress.

House Democrats demanded a bill from the Senate with no tax attachment, setting up a confrontation that could delay final passage of the $2.10 an hour increase.

The federal minimum wage has been unchanged for 10 years. In the meantime, some states have increased their minimums.

Kerry won't seek White House in '08

Democratic Sen. John Kerry, who fell short of the White House in 2004, said Wednesday he will not run for president in 2008.

"We came close ... certainly close enough to be tempted to try again," Kerry said.

"There are powerful reasons to want to continue that fight now. But I have concluded this isn't the time for me to mount a presidential campaign."

Witness: Libby bullied information from CIA

Vice President Dick Cheney so terrified government bureaucrats that they gave up the classified identity of a CIA spy when his White House aide demanded information about her husband, a witness said in court Wednesday.

Robert Grenier, the former CIA official overseeing Iraq operations, said he was so unnerved about being pulled out of a 2003 meeting by Cheney's chief of staff Lewis "Scooter" Libby, that he identified the spy as Valerie Plame.

Libby is accused of obstructing the investigation of the leak and lying to the FBI and a grand jury.

[Last modified January 25, 2007, 05:49:50]