Boehner surrenders in tax showdown

2011-12-22T19:30:33Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - House Speaker John Boehner caved in to growing criticism from within and outside his Republican Party, agreeing on Thursday to a short-term deal to extend a payroll tax cut for 160 million Americans.

In a dramatic reversal that appeared to end a standoff with Democrats, Boehner told

Speaker Boehner surrenders in tax showdown

2011-12-22T19:00:12Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner caved in to growing criticism from within and outside his Republican Party, agreeing on Thursday to a short-term deal to extend a payroll tax cut for 160 million Americans.

In a dramatic reversal that appeared to end a standoff with Democrats, Boehner told...

Senate Republican McConnell tries to end tax impasse

2011-12-22T13:00:25Z

WASHINGTON, Dec 22 (Reuters) - The top Senate Republican on Thursday sought to break a year-end stalemate with Democrats over extending a payroll tax cut for 160 million Americans, an issue that has split his party and raised the risk of a U.S. economic downturn in 2012.

Reuters) - The top Senate Republican on Thursday sought to break a year-end stalemate with Democrats over extending a payroll tax cut for 160 million Americans, an issue that has split his party and raised the risk of a U.S. economic downturn in 2012.

Reuters) - With House of Representatives Republicans under attack from friends and foes, Democrats held out for victory in a fight over extending a payroll tax cut for millions of workers that is set to expire at year's end.

"He (House Reuters) - They began this year vowing to slash spending and reduce government.

Republicans in Congress can boast that they have done just that: As 2011 ends, they have wrung $2 trillion in spending cuts from Democrats without conceding a penny in tax increases.

But the bare-knuckle tactics and brinkmanship that

Republicans under pressure over payroll tax cut

2011-12-21T09:30:22Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republicans were under growing pressure on Wednesday to agree to a 60-day extension of an expiring payroll tax cut for 160 million workers and end a stand-off with Democrats that threatens to undercut a fragile economic recovery.

If the Congress cannot reach a deal by December 31, the payroll tax American workers pay to fund the

Payroll tax cut extension stuck in partisan fight

2011-12-19T12:30:20Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - With a tax cut for 160 million U.S. workers set to expire in less than two weeks, Republicans and Democrats in Congress on Monday were mired in a last-ditch battle over extending it.

In a surprise turnabout, Republicans in the House of Representatives are...

Boehner predicts House will kill 2-month tax break

2011-12-19T11:30:19Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The top Republican lawmaker on Monday effectively killed a short-term tax break and called on lawmakers to negotiate a full year payroll tax cut extension for 160 million U.S. workers.

"The idea that tax policy can be done two months at a time is the kind of activity we see here in Washington that will put t...

Top Republican predicts House will kill 2-month tax break

2011-12-19T09:30:26Z

"The idea that tax policy can be done two months at a time is the kind of activity we see here in Washington that will put t...

Top Republican predicts House will kill 2-month tax

2011-12-19T09:00:10Z

"The idea that tax policy can be done two months at a time is the kind of activity we see here in Washington that will put t...

Divided lawmakers muster modest tax deal

2011-12-16T18:00:21Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Deeply divided U.S. lawmakers on Friday eked out an agreement to extend payroll tax cuts for just two months, and only after Democrats bowed to Republican demands on a controversial oil pipeline.

The deal, which still needs approval of the full Senate and Reuters) - Lawmakers intensified efforts on Friday to extend payroll tax relief for Americans, and it appeared likely that language to speed approval of a controversial oil pipeline might be part of a deal.

With Senate leaders huddling in offices near the Senate chamber in search of a payroll tax cut deal, the Democrats and Republicans for once defused a bitter confrontation.

Negotiators were also considering an extension of a payroll tax cut demanded by President B...

US lawmakers race clock as shutdown looms

2011-12-15T18:30:50Z

The White House and lawmakers held frantic talks to ease a pre-Christmas standoff Thursday, seeking to avoid a government shutdown which would deepen the American public's disdain for its leaders.

After a day of vitriol on Wednesday, President Barack Obama's Democrats and his Repu...

Lawmakers scramble as government shutdown looms

2011-12-15T14:30:30Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lawmakers, urged on by President Barack Obama, raced against the clock on Thursday to keep the government funded beyond Friday and extend a worker tax cut and jobless benefits.

Republicans and Democrats appeared to be backing aw...

Congress pushes for budget, payroll tax deals

2011-12-15T09:00:12Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Congress, facing end-of-year deadline pressures and an unhappy electorate, rushed on Thursday to find compromises on legislation to keep the federal government functioning through 2012 and extend a payroll tax cut for 160 million Americans.

After weeks of stuck negotiations and political bickering, Senate leaders said on Thursday they were optimistic a bipartisan c...

White House plays for time in pre-Christmas showdown

2011-12-15T01:30:21Z

The White House asked Congress to pass a temporary spending measure to head off the prospect of a government shutdown as a bitter pre-Christmas standoff escalated with Republicans.

The vast functions of the US government will creak to a halt unless a new one-trillion-dollar" class="inform">dollar spending plan to fund ope...

Democrats mull dropping millionaire surtax

2011-12-14T20:00:14Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama and fellow Democrats on Wednesday signaled a willingness to drop a proposed surtax on millionaires, but remained at odds with Republicans in efforts to extend an expiring payroll tax cut for 160 million Americans.

Obama discussed abandoning the surtax, which Republi...

Democrats weigh dropping millionaire tax proposal

2011-12-14T15:00:27Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama and fellow Democrats are considering dropping a surtax on millionaires to pay for a payroll tax cut for U.S. workers, a move that would remove a major stumbling block to a compromise deal with Republicans.

Obama discussed the possibility of abandoning t...

Tax fight gets nastier as government shutdown looms

2011-12-14T14:00:13Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Wednesday faced the prospect of an imminent government shutdown for the third time this year as a fight between lawmakers in Congress over taxes and spending turned nastier.

With time running out for a deal, President Bar...

Lawmakers in showdown over payroll tax cuts

2011-12-14T06:00:18Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican and Democratic lawmakers were locked in an end-of-year fight on Tuesday that threatens a government shutdown, an effective tax hike for 160 million Americans and the loss of benefits for millions of unemployed.

With just days left to resolve the crisis, both parties accused each other of "playing politics" with Americans' livelihoods even as they tried to ga...

Where delegation stands on payroll tax

2011-12-14T02:30:41Z

The Senate shot down another round of proposals Thursday to extend and/or expand a reduction in payroll taxes that expires at the end of the year. Meanwhile, leaders in the House dug in to draft their own payroll tax proposal, one President Barack Obama has threatened to veto.

As the parties settle in for a long fight, Nevada lawmakers have staked out their ...

Spending bill in jeopardy as lawmakers bicker

2011-12-13T15:00:18Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A bill that would keep the U.S. government operating beyond the weekend appeared in trouble on Tuesday as lawmakers bickered over whether they had resolved policy issues such as abortion funding and travel to Cuba.

The bill has been caught up in a year-end fight between

U.S. spending bill in jeopardy as lawmakers bicker

2011-12-13T11:00:23Z

The bill has been caught up in a year-end fig...

Republican Keystone, tax cut bill expect to pass on Tuesday

2011-12-12T17:30:13Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Republican bid to force President Barack Obama to speed up approval of the Keystone XL Pipeline project looked set to pass the Reuters) - Democratic and Republican lawmakers skirmished on Friday over plans to extend a payroll tax cut seen as crucial to a fragile U.S. economic recovery, but aides predicted a last-minute deal.

While independent economists say extending the tax cut would boost the economy at a critical time, both parties have been struggling to agree on a compromise deal in a r...

House Republicans rally around payroll tax plan

2011-12-08T15:00:10Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republicans in the House of Representatives began to fall into line on Thursday behind a bill to extend an expiring payroll tax break after their leaders sweetened the measure with a provision that President Barack O...

California governor launches tax ballot measure

2011-12-05T16:00:16Z

SAN FRANCISCO - (Reuters) - With California once again running short on revenue, Governor Jerry Brown said on Monday he would circumvent the legislature and press a statewide ballot measure to raise the state's sales tax an...

House Republicans divided over payroll tax cut

2011-12-02T11:00:17Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives pushed ahead on Friday to extend a popular payroll tax cut for another year despite opposition within their own ranks.

Following a 90-minute closed-door meeting, many Republicans said there was strong opposition ...

Senate defeats competing payroll tax cut bills

2011-12-01T19:00:11Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Senate on Thursday defeated competing payroll tax cut extension plans by Democrats and Republicans, clearing the way for negotiations on compromise legislation that could boost the economy next year.

In late-night votes, the Senate, as expected, defeated a Democratic plan that would have extended and expanded the payroll tax cut that is scheduled to ex...

Obama: "Massive blow" to economy if tax cuts lapse

2011-11-30T17:30:33Z

SCRANTON, Pennsylvania (Reuters) - President Barack Obama warned on Wednesday that the U.S. economy would suffer a "massive blow" if Congress fails to extend expiring payroll tax cuts, saying the country was not fully recovered from the rec...

Senate Republicans offer tax-cut renewal plan

2011-11-30T17:30:14Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A pay freeze for federal workers would be extended for another three years as part of a Senate Republican plan offered on Wednesday to cover the cost of President Barack Obama's call to extend a popular payroll tax cut.

Economists fear US recession unless tax deal agreed

2011-11-30T09:30:45Z

Economists are warning US growth could stall and the United States could even tip back into recession if Congress fails to extend tax cuts and unemployment benefits before the end of the year.

It seems like round 12 of the tax and spending fight between Democrats and Republicans ...

Economists warn of recession without US tax deal

2011-11-30T02:30:40Z

Economists are warning US growth could stall and the United States could even tip back into recession if Congress fails to extend tax cuts and unemployment benefits before the end of the year.

It seems like round 12 of the tax and spending fight between Democrats and Republicans ...

Republicans back payroll tax cut extension

2011-11-29T18:00:11Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republicans in Congress on Tuesday threw their support behind a payroll tax cut extension, trying to blunt charges ahead of 2012 elections of favoring wealthy Americans over middle-class workers.

Until Tuesday, Republicans had been lukewarm on extending President Barack Obama's payroll tax cut for wor...

Democrats, Republicans trade blows on tax cuts

2011-11-28T15:30:45Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrats and Republicans in Congress on Monday exchanged their first blows in a battle over extending a payroll tax cut for workers, the latest in a series of polarizing fights that has worried investors.

Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid warned that failure to continue the tax ho...

Republicans to reconfigure budget cuts: lawmaker

2011-11-27T11:00:14Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republicans will try to spare defense programs by reconfiguring the $1.2 trillion in spending cuts that are to be triggered starting in 2013 by the collapse of a congressional deficit-cutting committee, a leading Republican senator said on Sunday.

"I think there's a broad consensus that too much of the cuts are weighted on our defense's capabilities and wo...

Lawmakers still see chance for deficit-cut deal

2011-11-27T11:00:06Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republicans will try to spare defense programs by reconfiguring the $1.2 trillion in spending cuts that are to be triggered in starting in 2013 by the collapse of a congressional deficit-cutting committee, a leading Republican senator said on Sunday.

"I think there's a broad consensus that too much of the cuts are weighted on our defense's capabilities and...

Obama urges Congress to save payroll tax cut

2011-11-22T11:30:16Z

MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Tuesday challenged Congress to vote next week to preserve an expiring payroll tax cut, a day after lawmakers failed to agree on a way to control the ballooning federal deficit.

...

Obama pushes payroll tax cut after debt panel fails

2011-11-22T03:30:13Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama will challenge the Congress to preserve an expiring payroll tax cut on Tuesday as he travels to New Hampshire to seize the initiative in the wake of a collapsed effort to reduce the nation's budget deficit.

W...

Insight: Super committee had glimpse of elusive compromise

2011-11-21T23:30:11Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - It didn't seem like mission impossible just two weeks ago.

Inside a private room on the first floor of the U.S. Senate, seven members of Washington's debt "super committee," munching beef jerky and talking taxes, thought for the first time a ...

Super committee had one glimpse of elusive compromise

2011-11-21T22:30:10Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - It didn't seem like mission impossible just two weeks ago.

Inside a private room on the first floor of the Senate, seven members of Washington's debt "super committee," munching beef jerky and talking taxes, thought for the first time a deal might be at hand.

Nine days after that November 7 meeting, it...

Lawmakers abandon deficit-cutting effort

2011-11-21T18:30:12Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lawmakers abandoned their high-profile effort to rein in the country's ballooning debt on Monday in a sign that Washington likely will not be able to resolve a dispute over taxes and spending until 2013.

The admission of defeat by Republic...

Deficit panel failure looms over last gasp talks

2011-11-21T12:00:41Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - After months of talks, the high-profile congressional effort to rein in the ballooning U.S. debt is expected to end in failure on Monday with negotiators announcing they could not bridge deep divides over taxes and spending cuts.

The Republican and Democratic leaders of a 12-member congressional "super committee" are set to declare defeat in a joint statement later on ...

Deficit panel failure looms over last-gasp talks

2011-11-21T09:31:04Z

The Republican and Democratic leaders of a 12-member congressional "super committee" are set to declare defeat in a joint sta...

Analysis: Fallout from deficit-reduction panel failure

2011-11-21T08:00:09Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The failure of a congressional deficit-cutting "super committee" means the tough work of putting the United States' finances on a stable path will likely have to wait until 2013 at the earliest.

Barring some unforeseen development, the Republican and Democratic co-chairs of the committee are due to ...

Debt-reduction panel spirals toward failure

2011-11-20T17:00:26Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A months-long effort to set U.S. finances on a sustainable course appeared likely to end in failure on Monday as lawmakers in Congress were unable to bridge a deep divide over taxes and benefits.

Republican and Democratic participants cast doubt on any possibility of agreement in appearances on Sunday talk shows. Without some unexpected breakthrough, aides said, a 12-m...

Debt-reduction panel careening toward failure

2011-11-20T11:30:10Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The congressional deficit-reduction committee is likely on Monday to concede failure in its efforts to strike a deal, barring an unforeseen breakthrough to bridge deep partisan differences over taxes and spending, congressional aides said.

The announcement of failure would come on Monday, aides from the Republican and Democratic camps told Reuters on Sunday, shortly af...

Debt reduction panel remains far apart

2011-11-20T08:30:20Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Members of a congressional deficit-reduction committee voiced little hope on Sunday with no sign of a breakthrough as they headed toward a widely anticipated failure this week in their bid to cut a deal to reduce the U.S. deficit.

Lawmakers on the bipartisan 12-member "super committee" said they are not giving up ahead of a looming Wednesday deadline. But ...

Deficit "super committee" stalled as deadline looms

2011-11-19T15:00:17Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Both sides of Congress' deadlocked "super committee" held separate talks on Saturday, but formal negotiations remained stalled, reaffirming gloomy predictions that the deficit-fighting panel may fail.

With a midnight Wednesday deadline fast approaching, the panel's six Republican and six Democratic members were still far apart on how to attain a goal of finding at leas...

Midterm Trade Rage

2010-10-30T02:33:17Z

FILE - In this Sept. 30, 2010 file photo, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., listens to a reporters question during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington. In these angry political times, Democrats and Democratic Party, walks along with party members during the party's campaign for upcoming general elections Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2010, in Yangon, Myanmar. (AP Photo/Khin Maung Win)

Copyright 2010 Priscilla Smith reviews menu changes at her cafe in Denver. The cafe is located just a short walk from where President Barack Obama signed the stimulus package into law last year. Smith keeps a picture of Obama on the wall of her cafe but says she hasn't noticed any changes from the st...

Rebounding Democrats

2010-10-08T09:27:20Z

FILE - In this Sept. 6, 2010 file photo in Los Angeles, United States Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., right, greets union members at a Labor Day Breakfast. While Democrats across the country appeared to be struggling in their election bids, Boxer and others nationwi...

Arkansas Going Red

2010-10-01T13:30:32Z

FILE - In this March 23, 2010, file photo, Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe, a Democrat, is interviewed in his Little Rock, Ark., campaign headquarters. The sagging fortunes of major Democratic campaigns in Arkansas _ highlighted by Sen. Blanche Lincoln's uphill struggle to save her job _ ar...

News on U.S. Democratic Party

Boehner surrenders in tax showdown

Speaker Boehner surrenders in tax showdown

Senate Republican McConnell tries to end tax impasse

Republicans under pressure over payroll tax cut

Payroll tax cut extension stuck in partisan fight

Boehner predicts House will kill 2-month tax break

Top Republican predicts House will kill 2-month tax break

Top Republican predicts House will kill 2-month tax

Divided lawmakers muster modest tax deal

US lawmakers race clock as shutdown looms

Lawmakers scramble as government shutdown looms

Congress pushes for budget, payroll tax deals

White House plays for time in pre-Christmas showdown

Democrats mull dropping millionaire surtax

Democrats weigh dropping millionaire tax proposal

Tax fight gets nastier as government shutdown looms

Lawmakers in showdown over payroll tax cuts

Where delegation stands on payroll tax

Spending bill in jeopardy as lawmakers bicker

U.S. spending bill in jeopardy as lawmakers bicker

Republican Keystone, tax cut bill expect to pass on Tuesday

House Republicans rally around payroll tax plan

California governor launches tax ballot measure

House Republicans divided over payroll tax cut

Senate defeats competing payroll tax cut bills

Obama: "Massive blow" to economy if tax cuts lapse

Senate Republicans offer tax-cut renewal plan

Economists fear US recession unless tax deal agreed

Economists warn of recession without US tax deal

Republicans back payroll tax cut extension

Democrats, Republicans trade blows on tax cuts

Republicans to reconfigure budget cuts: lawmaker

Lawmakers still see chance for deficit-cut deal

Obama urges Congress to save payroll tax cut

Obama pushes payroll tax cut after debt panel fails

Insight: Super committee had glimpse of elusive compromise

Super committee had one glimpse of elusive compromise

Lawmakers abandon deficit-cutting effort

Deficit panel failure looms over last gasp talks

Deficit panel failure looms over last-gasp talks

Analysis: Fallout from deficit-reduction panel failure

Debt-reduction panel spirals toward failure

Debt-reduction panel careening toward failure

Debt reduction panel remains far apart

Deficit "super committee" stalled as deadline looms

Midterm Trade Rage

Rebounding Democrats

Arkansas Going Red