Congressman John Boehner...
Bipartisan Talks to Extend Payroll Tax Cut  
February  4, 2012 

WASHINGTON, D.C. –  Congressman John Boehner (R-West Chester) issued the following statement today on the status of bipartisan negotiations to provide a full-year extension of the payroll tax break: 

“With a tax hike threatening 160 million Americans at the end of this month, the Democrats in the Senate must get serious about negotiations on a full-year extension of the payroll tax holiday, as well as reforming and extending unemployment insurance – and doing it in a fiscally-responsible way.  This week, the House voted to extend the current pay freeze for federal workers, including Members of Congress.  It passed with more than 300 votes, including the vote of one of the Democratic conferees on the payroll/UI bill.  That is exactly the sort of responsible, bipartisan spending cut that ought to be included in a bipartisan agreement to extend the payroll tax cut. 

“Reports have appeared this week indicating Senate Democratic leaders are writing a ‘backup’ plan in the event the conference committee doesn’t produce a bipartisan agreement.  It would seem those energies could be better directed toward the conference negotiations themselves, in which Senate Democrats have not actually presented a full plan.  You can’t have a ‘backup plan’ if you haven’t offered anything to back up.  The House has put a plan on the table as the basis for negotiations: the bill passed by the House, which extends the payroll tax cut and unemployment insurance for a full year, offset almost entirely with spending cuts the president himself has endorsed. 

“The clock is ticking.  Senate Democrats must get serious about these negotiations.  It’s time to extend the payroll tax holiday for a full year, and to do it in a responsible, bipartisan way.” 

Read this online with links at Boehner’s web site