RICHMOND -- Top Democrats in the General Assembly said Tuesday that they will make another push for legislation to increase the minimum wage in Virginia, even as their party's congressional leaders pursue the issue at the national level.

Democratic leaders said they hope to build momentum for a proposal that has not fared well in the Republican-controlled General Assembly, even though some GOP lawmakers support a higher minimum wage. The legislature's 2007 session will begin Jan. 10.

The Democratic proposal would increase the minimum wage from $5.15 per hour to $6.15 in 2008 and $7.25 in 2009. Democrats said the wage increase would benefit more than 450,000 Virginia workers.

"Increasing the minimum wage shows that we value work," said Del. Brian Moran, D-Alexandria, the chairman of the House Democratic Caucus. "We want to make sure that the hard work performed by Virginia families is indeed rewarded by a fair wage."

Twenty-nine states have set minimum wages greater than the federal level, including six states where voters approved increases in referendums held this year.

Democrats don't have the issue to themselves in Virginia. Del. Danny Marshall, R-Danville, is sponsoring legislation to increase the wage in three steps until it tops out at $7 per hour in 2009.

But a key Republican committee chairman said Virginia should continue conforming its minimum wage to the federal standard, which has not been changed since 1997. Del. Harvey Morgan, R-Gloucester, said Virginia could jeopardize its economic competitiveness by breaking a "decades-long, bipartisan policy."

"We need to use restraint when tampering with wage laws," said Morgan, chairman of the House Commerce and Labor Committee.

Democrats held a press conference to promote the proposed wage increase, an idea that died without fanfare in the General Assembly earlier this year. Two House bills were killed in a subcommittee without a recorded vote. A Senate proposal was rejected in committee on a party-line vote.

"This isn't a Democratic or Republican issue, it's an issue of simple fairness," said Sen. Mary Margaret Whipple, D-Arlington, chairwoman of the Senate Democratic Caucus.

But the minimum wage fight got a new wrinkle after Democrats gained control of Congress in the Nov. 7 elections. Incoming Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D- Calif., promised to expedite action on a minimum wage bill when Congress convenes in January.

U.S. Sen.-elect James Webb also made the minimum wage a cornerstone issue in his campaign to defeat incumbent Republican George Allen.

Moran said General Assembly action is needed because there is no guarantee that President Bush would sign congressional legislation to increase the wage.

Representatives of the Virginia Interfaith Center and the Virginia AFL-CIO voiced support for the Democratic proposal at Tuesday's press conferences.

"Work should have dignity, and there's not much dignity in making $5.15 an hour when the buying power of that $5.15 has gone down," said Virginia AFL-CIO President Jim Leaman.

Gordon Dixon, the Virginia director of the National Federation of Independent Business, said the organization opposes "another government mandate." He said some small businesses could reduce their hiring rate as a result of the increase.

"We already have a tight job market, and market forces determine what employees are worth," Dixon said.