Now Only A Question Of When

Rep. Steve LaTourette (R-OH) 7/25 p.m. gave a letter signed by 48 House GOPers to Maj Leader John Boehner requesting a vote on the minimum wage before the Congress breaks for summer recess at the end of the week. LaTourette, along with Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), spearheaded a similar effort 7/12, picking up 25 mostly moderate Northeast/Midwest GOPers to help plead their case. House GOP leaders have instead brought up votes aimed at firing up their conservative base over the past 2 weeks.

Opposition to a minimum wage vote is softening, however. Boehner and Maj Whip Roy Blunt have both made public statements indicating that they are resigned to the effort. And now it seems that support for the increase is coming not just from the usual band of pro-labor GOPers. New to LaTourette's letter are such members as: Rep's Mike Bilirakis (FL), Mark Foley (FL), Paul Gillmor (OH) David Hobson (OH), Ted Poe (TX), Mike Simpson (ID), Pat Tiberi (OH), Frank Wolf (VA) and Bill Young (FL). Such a mix of veteran, conservative and politically safe members indicates that the push to increase the minimum wage has gained strength in the GOP Conference and a vote may be inevitable.

But will there be floor action before the break? "It's not expected to come up at this point," said a senior House aide. Or, as another leadership staffer succinctly put it, "Before November? Yes. Before August? Probably not." One aide to a rank-and-file House GOPer said Boehner has been taking the temperature of the Conference, trying to determine how to score the most political gain out of the increase. The question is whether to do it now so that members can crow about it back home the rest of the summer or wait until the fall when the public is more attuned to the elections.
[JONATHAN MARTIN]