51.   Company officials hope the new managers will improve returns and attract new assets because the management contracts tie pay increases to asset growth.

52.   Congress is considering an increase to minimum wage this week.

53.   Dairies like Hood and Garelick are expected to pass the price increase along to supermarkets.

54.   Democrats, meanwhile, are pushing for an increase to the minimum wage, an issue that resonates strongly among traditional Democratic voters such as labor unions.

55.   Dr. Hawkins attributed the increase to the ability of anesthesiologists to ease labor pain with smaller doses of medicine and fewer side effects than in years past.

56.   Economists credited the increase to major federal spending on the war in Afghanistan and to improve security at home.

57.   Eisenstadt said the Magli company prefers to attribute sales increases to a new advertising campaign.

58.   Efforts to add similar cigarette tax increases to the House tax bill were rejected last week by the Ways and Means Committee.

59.   Experts attribute most of the increase to the sales of expensive handmade cigars that are unaffordable for most young people.

60.   Federal health officials attribute the increase to ovulation-enhancing drugs, fertility techniques and delayed childbearing.