Iowa has done what the US Congress has yet to do: get a minimum wage increase completely enacted. Federally, the Democrats in the House fulfilled their pledge of enacting a minimum wage increase within the first hundred hours. But Senate Republicans have been holding it up.

In Iowa, though, a minimum wage increase has been enacted by both houses and signed in by the new, Democratic Governor. Once again this long overdue help to America's working poor was done by Democrats who have gained a new position of strength in Iowa.

From State Representative Elesha Gayman's newsletter:

MINIMUM WAGE HIKE SIGNED INTO LAW

Governor Culver is expected to sign the first bill produced by the new Democratic majority, a hike in the minimum wage. The bipartisan-supported bill passed the House on Tuesday, the Senate on Wednesday, and is expected to be signed by Governor Culver on Thursday.

The increase will be in two steps, from $5.15 to $6.20 on April 1, 2007, and to $7.25 on January 1, 2008. This is a total increase of $2.10. The minimum wage has not been increased since September 1, 1997, almost ten years ago.

This is just the first step in the Democrat’s “Plan for Prosperity,” which seeks to balance the interests of workers and businesses. Other goals to reward hard work include: 1) expanding job training opportunities for high-tech workers of the future, 2) allowing small business to pool their workforces so they can obtain cheaper health insurance, and 3) reducing commercial property taxes.