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House of Representatives Tied Up in Knots Over Minimum Wage

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NATALIE ALLEN, CNN ANCHOR: The House of Representatives is tied up in knots today over $1, that's how much both parties want to raise the minimum wage. The only questions are how to go about it and what to give employers in return.

Here now to put in his two cents is CNN congressional correspondent Bob Franken.

Hi, Bob.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it might be worth that much. But I'll tell you what, you're certainly right when you say the House of Representatives is tied up in knots. The Republican leadership has not even gotten votes, yet, to pass the rule, which would allow them to proceed on this convoluted minimum- wage effort.

The problem is, they can't convince their Republican -- fellow Republicans. Why? Because so many of them really hate the idea of a minimum-wage package, even if it is one that's designed to embarrass President Clinton, by which I mean they were coming up with a package which would have major tax reductions involved, business tax reductions and others, that the Democrats charge are really there just to favor the rich. The president has already said he would veto such a package.

Secondly, they were coming up with a proposal that would spread out $1 minimum-wage increase over three years. The president has said he would veto anything that was longer than two years. But there are so many Republicans who just hate the idea of any minimum wage that they have not been able to get the votes, as I said, necessary to pass the rules, what it's called. That's highly unusual, very unusual for Republicans or members of any party to abandon their leaders on a rules vote.

And, as all of this is going on, possibility exists that the Republicans might have to pull the legislation today, even as President Clinton keeps the pressure on.

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WILLIAM J. CLINTON, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Once again, the Republican leadership has derailed what should be a simple vote on the minimum wage with a maximum of political maneuvering. The vote is yet to be taken, but we all know the results are already in. The special interests will win and the national interests will wait.

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FRANKEN: But, not only do we know if the results are going to be in, we don't even know if, as the president says, the vote will be taken.

Bob Franken, CNN, live, Capitol Hill.

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