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Boehner said in a statement tonight that the House did not take up the measure because it failed to earn enough support from Republican members. The legislation has been shelved until after Christmas.
"The House did not take up the tax measure today because it did not have sufficient support from our members to pass," Boehner said in a statement. "Now it is up to the president to work with Senator Reid on legislation to avert the fiscal cliff."
"Plan B" would have seen taxes revert to higher rates on incomes above $1 million per year or more while permanently preserving the cuts for anything less. It was staunchly opposed by many conservative groups leading up to the planned vote.
The House GOP narrowly passed the Spending Reduction Act earlier in the night, 215-209. The act was tacked on in an attempt to entice House GOP members to vote for Plan B. The House had already passed this bill in May, but it was never taken up in the Senate.
Read a full recap of our coverage below.
10:30 AM | House Majority Leader Eric Cantor will hold a press conference on Plan B at 11:10.
10:50 AM | New poll shows why Boehner has a lot to lose if Plan B doesn't pass.
He has almost nothing in the way of public opinion on his side.
11:21 AM | Eric Cantor: "We have the votes" to pass "Plan B"
In a press conference Thursday morning, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor said that Republicans have the votes to pass both the "Plan B" bill, as well as the related spending cuts bill.
He added that Republican leaders don't plan on sending members home after the vote.
11:47 AM | Obama To Visit Wounded Warriors At Walter Reed Today
As Republicans prepare to vote on "Plan B," the White House has updated the President's schedule today to include a visit with Wounded Warriors at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center this afternoon.
12:20 PM | REID: 'Until Republicans take up our bill ... there is nothing to discuss."
In a press conference of Senate Democrats, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Democrats will not take up the bill if it passes the House.
"Let me be absolutely clear: Speaker Boehner's plans are nonstarters in the Senate," Reid said, calling it a "pointless political stunt."
New York Sen. Schumer adds: "Plan B is not taken seriously by anyone in America." Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, meanwhile, compared Boehner's strategy to "Thelma & Louise" — hitting the gas to go over the cliff.
12:56 PM | White House: 'Plan B is a multi-day exercise in futility"
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said Thursday that Republicans had "walked away" from a compromise with Obama. "Plan B," Carney said, "is a multi-day exercise in futility, at a time when we don't have days to spare."
The Plan B bill, Carney added, is a "matter of internal House Republican politics."
Carney added that "there is still time for a compromise on a big bill" to avoid the fiscal cliff.
1:19 PM | John Boehner is up.
Boehner's press conference is starting...
1:23 PM | Boehner: "Senate Democrats and the White House haven't done much of anything."
He warned Senate Democrats must bring Plan B to the floor before Senate adjourns or "be responsible for the largest tax hike in history."
Despite Reid's threat to kill the Plan B bill in the Senate, Boehner says he is "not convinced" th ebill will die in the Senate.
1:49 PM | Top conservative group FreedomWorks flips and now OPPOSES Boehner's plan.
Last night, the conservative group FreedomWorks came out in favor of John Boehner's "Plan B" legislation. They've now flipped.
Here's a look at their flip-flop on their site. The headline on the page still says "Two Cheers For Boehner's Plan B."
Keeping score, that means FreedomWorks joins RedState, Heritage Action and Club for Growth in opposing Plan B.
3:40 PM | The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has come out in support of "Plan B."
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a conservative business lobby, declared its support for Boehner's "Plan B" Thursday afternoon, putting out an open letter to members of the House that calls the bill "an absolute prerequisite to addressing our deficit and debt problems."
The letter also adds a caveat, saying that the organization would be "much more at ease" if the bill also addressed government spending cuts and entitlement reform. It adds that the Chamber is "not comfortable" with raising taxes, but understands that "at times, politics requires compromise."
Here's the full text of the letter:
TO THE MEMBERS OF THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than three million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region, urges your support for the substitute amendment to H.J. Res. 66 and H.R. 6684, the socalled Plan B. Maintaining economic growth is an absolute prerequisite to addressing our deficit and debt problems. Going over the fiscal cliff and allowing the largest tax increase in our history would certainly severely hamper if not totally eliminate economic growth for the near term. Thus, Plan B, which would extend the current tax rates for 99.81 percent of the American people – all but those making over $1 million, patch the alternative minimum tax (AMT), extend current estate tax levels, and creates parity for capital gains and dividends taxes, and replace the sequestration spending cuts with more thoughtful spending restraint, is a viable option.
However, the Chamber believes that the sole benefit of this legislation is that it averts going off the fiscal cliff. It does not address our excessive government spending, does not reform our unsustainable entitlement programs, and does not achieve fundamental comprehensive tax reform. Indeed, a case could be made that by eliminating the exigency brought on by the approaching cliff, that this bill makes it less likely that Congress and the Administration will address these important issues in the near future. We would be much more at ease with our support for this bill, if it contained assurances and a mechanism to achieve these important long run goals.
The Chamber believes that extending the current tax rates for all while building a pathway to a bigger deal with fundamental entitlement reform and fundamental comprehensive tax reform is clearly the best policy. Moreover, we are not comfortable allowing tax increases on anyone in this environment. However, we understand that, at times, politics requires compromise. Thus, we support passage of H.J. Res. 66 and H.R. 6684.
Sincerely,
R. Bruce Josten
4:13 PM | PELOSI: 'It's time for Republicans to end their bills to nowhere.'
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said at her weekly press briefing that Congress is moving "farther away from a deal" to avert the fiscal cliff.
4:26 PM | The Hill counts 23 Republican House members that are "leaning no" on Plan B.
That's the limit for passage, if no Democrats break rank.
The full list here:
Justin Amash (Mich.) Will vote no; voted against the rule
Joe Barton (Texas) Opposed
Paul Broun (Ga.) He is now a firm no; voted against the rule
John Fleming (La.) Leaning no
Trent Franks (Ariz.) Voted against the rule
Trey Gowdy (S.C.) Opposed
Louie Gohmert (Texas) Voted against the rule
Andy Harris (Md.) Voted against the rule
Tim Huelskamp (Kan.) Will vote no; voted against the rule
Walter Jones (N.C.) Voted against the rule
Jim Jordan (Ohio) Will vote no; voted against the rule
Raul Labrador (Idaho) “I’m a ‘Hell, no!’ ” he said.
Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.) Opposed
Jeff Landry (La.) Opposed; voted against the rule
Thomas Massie (Ky.) Voted against the rule
Mick Mulvaney (S.C.) Opposed
Ron Paul (Texas) Voted against the rule
Steve Scalise (La.) Went from undecided to no after Rules Committee rejected his amendment
Jean Schmidt (Ohio) Voted against the rule
Marlin Stutzman (Ind.) Opposed
Joe Walsh (Ill.) Will vote no; voted against the rule
Allen West (Fla.) Leaning no, citing sequester
Lynn Westmoreland (Ga.) Firm no
5:33 PM | UPDATE: The Hill now counts 25 House Republicans as either firm, likely or leaning toward voting 'no,' over the limit.
The Hill adds Texas Rep. Kenny Marchant and Arizona Rep. David Schweikert to its list. Marchant is leaning no, while Schweikert tweeted that he is a firm 'no.'
5:44 PM | The White House keeps attacking Plan B.
The White House spent the better part of Wednesday panning Boehner's Plan B legislation. And hours before the House is scheduled to vote, it released a blog post from Amy Brundage, the deputy press secretary for the economy.
Here it is, in full:
The House Republicans introduced a bill last night, The Spending Reduction Act of 2012, that would negatively impact the American people in several ways. Let’s take a quick look:
- It entirely eliminates federal funding for services like Meals on Wheels – which serves 1.7 million seniors – by getting rid of the Social Services Block Grant. This would also eliminate federal funds for child care and related assistance for 4.4 million children; services for nearly 1 million disabled individual; and child protective services which serve 1.8 million at-risk children
- They also dismantle programs that help homeowners and prevents foreclosures, one of the most critical sources of federal assistance for homeowners who are struggling with foreclosure and need loan modifications. Not only would this limit the home preservation options available to struggling homeowners but would also undermine efforts to support the housing market’s fragile recovery
- And they eliminate guaranteed funding for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, significantly weakening its ability to make sure that the financial products and services that Americans depend on every day —including credit cards, mortgages, and loans—work better for the people who use them.
The bill also advances Rep. Paul Ryan’s approach to domestic discretionary spending, cutting the discretionary cap level far below the bipartisan Budget Control Act total for 2013. The Ryan Budget approach would ultimately impose deep cuts on federal support for education, scientific and medical research, clean energy programs, key infrastructure investments, public safety protections, women’s and public health programs, and critical services for families in need.
This bill is a step backwards and it’s nothing more than a dangerous diversion.
There’s a big, balanced deal on the table that the Speaker should take. It’s reasonable, and it meets them more them halfway. This bipartisan deal reduces the deficit in a balanced way that is consistent with our values and lays the foundation for middle class job growth. That means certainty for businesses so they can plan around their strategic growth objectives. That means that everyone, including millionaires and billionaires, does their fair share. That means security for middle class families. And that means our government lives within its means and doesn’t mortgage our children’s future. It’s time for Speaker Boehner to come to the table and take action that’ll benefit the American people.
6:13 PM | House preparing to vote on the Spending Reduction Act, which would replace the sequester.
The bill was inserted as an enticement to get House Republicans to support Plan B. The House passed this bill in May, but it was never taken up in the Senate. Among other things, it cuts funding for Medicaid, the federal food-stamp program, and the Affordable Care Act.
The Washington Post's Ed O'Keefe suggests that passage isn't a sure thing, as many conservatives are wavering on supporting it.
The magic number to pass both bills tonight: 217.
6:34 PM | House voting now on the Spending Reduction Act.
6:41 PM | The House has passed the Spending Reduction Act — barely.
The final count was 215-209. One member voted present. In all, 21 Republicans voted against the measure, which had been opposed by conservative groups like Club for Growth.
Vote still to come later on Plan B.
6:51 PM | House Republicans are trying furiously to whip votes for Plan B.
O'Keefe tweets that Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Chair of the House Republican Conference, is speaking with at least three members leaning toward voting 'no.'
7:16 PM | House recesses subject to the call of the chair.
Or, as Barney Frank told The Washington Post's Felicia Sonmez:
It likely means that Boehner does not yet have the votes for Plan B.
7:24 PM | House Democrats think Republicans have recessed because they don't have enough votes.
Via CNBC's John Harwood:
7:37 PM | REPORT: GOP House leadership threatening members with losing committee posts if they don't vote for Boehner's plan.
Conservative radio host Mark Levin writes on his Facebook page:
"I am told the GOP leadership in the House is now threatening members with losing their committee posts if they do not vote for the Boehner tax increase"
8:01 PM | Boehner's statement on the failed vote.
"The House did not take up the tax measure today because it did not have sufficient support from our members to pass. Now it is up to the president to work with Senator Reid on legislation to avert the fiscal cliff. The House has already passed legislation to stop all of the January 1 tax rate increases and replace the sequester with responsible spending cuts that will begin to address our nation's crippling debt. The Senate must now act."
8:14 PM | Cantor's office: 'The House has concluded legislative business for the week.'
The House will return after the Christmas holiday "when needed."
9:11 PM | The White House issues a statement: Obama will 'work with Congress to get this done.'
The President’s main priority is to ensure that taxes don’t go up on 98 percent of Americans and 97 percent of small businesses in just a few short days. The President will work with Congress to get this done and we are hopeful that we will be able to find a bipartisan solution quickly that protects the middle class and our economy.
9:44 PM | Harry Reid spokesman: Boehner 'wasted an entire week.'
Here's the full statement:
“It is now clear that to protect the middle class from the fiscal cliff, Speaker Boehner must allow a bill to pass with a combination of Democratic and Republican votes. Speaker Boehner’s partisan approach wasted an entire week and pushed middle-class families closer to the edge. The only way to avoid the cliff altogether is for Speaker Boehner to return to negotiations, and work with President Obama and the Senate to forge a bipartisan deal.”
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