House Republicans are expected to vote against the new payroll tax cut extension bill passed by the Democratically-controlled Senate on Saturday.
The Senate bill, as passed, would extend the payroll tax rate reduction for two months, as the Senate tries to buy some time to allow for the two chambers of Congress to resolve their bipartisan differences over the extensions of payroll tax cuts and unemployment benefits.
Last week the House passed a Republican-backed bill that tied the payroll tax cut extension to an expedited approval of the Keystone XL Pipeline project, which President Barack Obama has repeatedly said the he wants to delay until after the 2012 presidential election.
“I and our members oppose the Senate bill, its only for two months,” House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
“The president said we shouldn’t go on vacation until we get our work done, and frankly House Republicans agree. We passed a one year extension of the payroll tax credit, unemployment insurance with reforms. How can you do tax policy for two months? We’ve got two weeks to get this done, lets do it the right way,” Mr. Boehner added.
The House is expected to vote on the Senate’s bill Monday, and it appears they will vote against the bill.
Last week the House has passed a bill allowing for an extension of payroll tax cuts and an expedited approval of the Keystone Pipeline XL project. The Republican backed bill also extended unemployment benefits for 99 weeks, and put a freeze on salaries of federal workers through 2015.
However, Democrats have already expressed concerns with the Republican-added amendment concerning the oil pipeline that would run from Canada to the gulf coast of Texas. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV.) accused Republicans of “wasting time” and the White House even issued a veto threat if the bill reached the desk of President Barack Obama.
The passage of the Senate bill over the weekend again triggered bipartisan disagreement between the two chambers of Congress, even though the Senate bill includes the approval of the Keystone XL Pipeline project, a measure that Senate Democrats reluctantly passed.
“Trying to negotiate with Speaker Boehner is like trying to nail Jell-O to the wall,” Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY.) said Monday in an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”
“He keeps moving the goal posts back because he can’t control his caucus – they are running off a cliff, and he is following,” Mr. Schumer stated, adding that the two month extension will allow lawmakers to eventually negotiate an extension of the payroll tax cuts for another year, as President Obama had originally desired.
If the House blocks the Senate bill Monday, members of Congress will likely remain in Washington, D.C., through the Christmas holiday in order to reach a compromise.
