WASHINGTON (AP) ? The White House says House Republican leaders are risking serious danger to the U.S. economy by opposing a Senate bill that extends payroll tax cuts for two months.
Communications director Dan Pfeiffer says House Speaker John Boehner reversed his position on the Senate bill because of a “tea party revolt.” Pfeiffer says Boehner would bear the responsibility for increasing taxes on 160 million Americans if the cuts are allowed to expire at the end of the year.
The House is scheduled to vote on the Senate bill late Monday, though the measure is expected to fail. However, Pfeiffer says there is still a good opportunity for the bill to pass if a few dozen Republicans vote for it.
Pfeiffer spoke during an interview on MSNBC.