Wage Increase Will Be Passed, Dole Predicts

The minimum wage increase will pass Congress after lawmakers return from their Memorial Day recess, Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole predicted Friday.

However, Senate Democratic and Republican leaders continued to maneuver over the exact conditions.

“My view is there will be a minimum wage increase. It will pass Congress,” said Dole, R-Kan.

Dole, his party’s presumptive presidential nominee, also unambiguously endorsed the raise, saying, “I think there should be an increase in the minimum wage.”

Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle sounded optimistic as well, following Thursday’s 281-144 House vote approving legislation containing the increase. It would raise the minimum from $4.25 to $4.75 on July 1 and to $5.15 on July 1, 1997.

“There is a broad bipartisan consensus that this ought to pass. Now, given the momentum from the vote yesterday in the House, I think it’s all the more likely it will pass,” said Daschle, D-S.D.

Dole said he was prepared to bring the issue to the Senate floor during the week of June 3, his last as majority leader. He has said he would leave the Senate by June 11 to campaign fulltime for the presidency.

Dole said the minimum wage would be coupled with a provision that allows businesses to hire teenagers at a sub-minimum training wage. Such as clause was added to House bill without turning Democrats against the package.