The White House is throwing its weight behind a Senate compromise for a two-month extension of the payroll tax cut, despite strong objections from House Republicans that could unravel the deal.
The director of the National Economic Council, Gene Sperling, voiced skepticism on Sunday that the House could change the bill and get it to the president’s desk by Christmas.
President Obama had long pushed for a full one-year extension of the payroll tax cut, unemployment insurance benefits and other measures. But Sperling pointed to the “overwhelming” vote Saturday in the Senate for a two-month extension and warned the House against risking a tax increase on 160 million Americans by not accepting it.
“Of course the president would like more, but here is what is significant about the vote yesterday: It had 89 votes,” Sperling said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “The only things that get 90 percent support in the United States Senate these days are Mom, apple pie and chocolate ice cream. So I really think it is very unlikely that the House would disrupt this compromise, overwhelming compromise six days before Christmas.”
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