Although the Senate defeated two minimum wage increase proposals last week, Democrats in the House are working to bring their minimum wage hike to a floor vote. Their resolve is grounded in a simple principal neatly summarized by House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD): "We want people to work hard and play by the rules. And when they do, they should not be relegated to poverty." On June 13, Rep. Hoyer and Rep. David Obey (D-WI) added a minimum wage increase amendment to Labor, HHS, and Education appropriations bill. Much to the chagrin of the Republican House leadership, the House Appropriations Committee adopted the amendment 32-27. As a reward for their good deed (or out of fear of possible passage), House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) has blocked the committee’s Labor, HHS, and Education appropriations bill from a floor vote.