Here are today's headlines from the Kansas congressional delegation:Etc.[(New York Times) Tax Breaks Sidetrack Minimum Wage Bill:][1] Democrats' promise of a quick increase in the minimum wage ran aground Wednesday in the Senate, where lawmakers are insisting it include new tax breaks for restaurants and other businesses that rely on low-pay workers. On a 54-43 vote, Democrats lost an effort to advance a House-passed bill that would lift the pay floor from $5.15 to $7.25 an hour without any accompanying tax cut. Opponents of the tax cut needed 60 votes to prevail. [Brownback did not vote; Roberts voted against advancing the bill.][2][(Topeka Capital-Journal) Bill would fund Amtrak over next six years:][3] A bill pending in Congress might open the door for more passenger train service in Kansas and make the future of Amtrak's Southwest Chief more secure. Senate Bill 294 would give preliminary approval of continued funding for Amtrak in general over the next six years and provide some assurance that any Amtrak route being operated as of the day the bill becomes law would remain a part of the Amtrak system. ... Topekan John Mills, described by an Amtrak official in Chicago as "a legend" in passenger rail service, is already on the case. He is urging people to ask Sens. Pat Roberts and Sam Brownback, both Kansas Republicans, to co-sponsor the bill.Sen. Sam Brownback (R) ![][4][(Washington Post) War in Iraq: Panel votes against Bush strategy:][5] A day after President Bush pleaded with Congress to give his Iraq policy one last chance, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee rebuffed him by approving a nonbinding resolution declaring his troop increase in Iraq to be against "the national interest." The committee voted 12-9 on Wednesday to send a resolution of disapproval of the president's Iraq policy to the Senate floor next week, setting up what could be the most dramatic confrontation between Congress and the Bush administration since the war was launched four years ago. Many Republicans voiced anguish over the president's policy, but only one, Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel, a co-sponsor, voted in support of the resolution. The committee's partisan vote strengthened the hand of Sen. John Warner, R-Va., and a bipartisan group of senators backing a less forceful resolution of opposition. ... Several Republicans indicated they would vote for a resolution of opposition if the language is toned down. Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kansas, a presidential candidate, said he was in talks with Warner on a resolution he could embrace.Sen. Pat Roberts (R)![][6][(Hutch News) Roberts aligns finance staff:][7] Gearing up for his re-election race in 2008, U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts announced finance co-chairpersons for his campaign. They are Gene Bicknell, Pittsburg; John Bush, Lawrence; Phil Howe, Manhattan; Stu Lang, Overland Park; Brenda McCants, Goodland; Fred Merrill, Mission Hills; Bob Regnier, Leawood; Dave Rebein, Dodge City; Karen Seaberg, Atchison; Don Slawson, Wichita; Nestor Weigand, Wichita; Michelle Voth, Topeka; and Charles Walker, Topeka. [1]: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Minimum-Wage.html [2]: http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=1&vote=00023 [3]: http://cjonline.com/stories/012507/bus_141395498.shtml [4]: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/fr/thumb/c/c8/Sam_Brownback.jpg/150px-Sam_Brownback.jpg [5]: http://www.freenewmexican.com/news/55842.html [6]: http://roberts.senate.gov/Roberts-020405-18060-080-CFFflipped.jpg [7]: http://www.hutchnews.com/news/regional/stories/roberts012507.shtml