WASHINGTON — Congress on Friday swiftly approved a
two-month extension of the payroll tax holiday, ending for the moment a
contentious three-month battle over one of President Obama’s top
legislative priorities.
In a near-empty Capitol building, the Senate and then
the House signed off on a compromise plan by unanimous consent, a
procedural move that allowed the legislation to move to the president’s
desk without requiring most lawmakers to return to Washington.
In addition to keeping Social Security payroll taxes
at current levels for an additional two months, the deal struck by party
leaders Thursday would maintain unemployment insurance for people who
have been jobless for an extended period and would block a cut in the
payments doctors receive for treating Medicare patients.
After Jan. 1, congressional negotiators would meet to decide how to extend the provisions for the rest of 2012.
Obama is expected to quickly sign the accord,
allowing him to join his family in Hawaii for his traditional holiday
retreat in his home state.
Friday’s action came after House Speaker John A.
Boehner backed off his insistence that Congress enact only a full-year
extension of the tax break.
Republican rank-and-file members opposed the
temporary accord that had been overwhelmingly approved in the Senate
last weekend. But the Ohio Republican had found himself with few allies
outside his chamber as the Democrats and the White House appeared to
have the upper hand, arguing that the House was risking a $40-a-paycheck
tax hike for average workers in the New Year.
“It’s not always easy to do the right thing,” Boehner said Thursday night.
After reaching an accord with Senate Majority Leader
Harry Reid on Thursday, Boehner took an unusually firm approach with the
rank and file during a conference call Thursday evening, according to
those familiar with the situation.
One freshman Republican expressed the disappointment and frustration that some lawmakers feel with the deal.
“The House has caved yet again to the president and
Senate Democrats,” said Rep. Tim Huelskamp of Kansas. “The Republican
majority would not exist if not for the conservative freshman class of
2010. We were sent here with a clear set of instructions from the
American people to put an end to business as usual in Washington, yet
here we are being asked to sign off on yet another gimmick. No wonder
the American people are left with a bad taste in their mouths when it
comes to Congress.”
After a holiday break, appointed conferees will begin
discussing ways to fund a full-year extension of the tax holiday. The
debate over how to achieve just that led to the impasse that resulted in
the temporary measure; Democrats wanted a surtax on millionaires, while
Republicans favored steep spending cuts.
Speaking after the Senate action, Reid expressed his
hope that the end of this year would also mean the end of the kind of
brinkmanship seen on major budget fights throughout 2011.
“I hope this Congress has had a very good learning
experience,” the Nevada Democrat told reporters. “Everything we do
around here does not have to end up in a fight.”
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