Boehner Rejects Deal; Fate Of ‘Doc Fix’ In Doubt
The New York Times: Boehner Says House G.O.P. Opposes Deal on Payroll Tax
A day after the Senate overwhelmingly approved legislation to extend a payroll tax cut for two months, House Republicans made clear Sunday that they would not support the measure. Speaker John A. Boehner, who was among the Republican and Democratic leaders who on Friday had worked out a deal on the $33 billion package, did an about-face on Sunday and said he and other House Republicans were opposed to the temporary extension (Nixon, 12/18).
The Washington Post: Boehner: House Republicans Oppose Senate Payroll Tax Deal
In an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Boehner said the short-term package, which was negotiated by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), should be re-worked by a conference committee in order to reach a longer deal that is acceptable to House Republicans (Sonmez and Helderman, 12/18).
Politico: House GOP Revolts On Payroll Deal
If nothing is done before Jan. 1, workers’ Social Security taxes will bounce back from 4.2 percent to 6.2 percent, some unemployment benefits will expire and doctors’ Medicare reimbursement rates will be slashed. But House Republicans think they got a raw deal from the president and their colleagues on both sides of the aisle in the Senate (Allen and Sherman, 12/17).
The Wall Street Journal: Boehner Opposes Two-Month Extension to Payroll-Tax Cut
The sticking point over a full-year bill has been how to cover the costs, with Democrats favoring a new tax on millionaires and Republicans favoring spending cuts (Barkley, 12/18).
