U.S. Rep. Phil English, R-3rd, announced Tuesday his new legislation that would raise the minimum wage and provide tax relief for small businesses.

"It has been eight years since Americans earning the minimum wage have been given a raise. It is time for Washington to set aside the petty partisan politics surrounding this issue and act for American workers," said English, a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over this issue.

English's bill would increase the minimum wage of $5.15 per hour to $6.50 over three years.

The measure would also increase and make permanent the full small business expensing of equipment, reform the home office deduction and exempt the welfare-to-work and work opportunity tax credits from the Alternative Minimum Tax.

English noted "to avoid the hard impact" the increased minimum wage requirement could have on the smallest of employers, the bill would exempt businesses with fewer than 10 employees and gradually increase - over three years - the dollar volume test of the Fair Labor Standards Act to $1 million.

The National Federation of Independent Business recently announced its endorsement of Republican

Brian Ellis for election to the state House of Representatives in the 11th District.

The nonprofit, nonpartisan NFIB is the nation's largest small-business advisory organization, and represents 600,000 members across the United States. The group claims 29,000 members in Pennsylvania.

The NFIB also recently presented state Sen.

Jane Orie, R-40th, with its "Guardian of Small Business" award.

The group recognized Orie for her 100 percent voting record on key small business issues.

U.S. Reps Melissa Hart, R-4th, and Phil English, R-3rd, were recently honored by the Food Distributors International, a trade group representing the food distribution industry.

Hart and English were presented with the distribution's 2002 Thomas Jefferson Award, given to members of Congress who have voted consistently in support of sound fiscal policy, minimal government regulation, and other free-market principles crucial to the food distribution industry.