the senate republicans opposed bringing up the house bill. the republican house bill in the senate because they knew it would fail. the republicans in the house -- let's repeat that -- the republicans in the senate refused to allow a vote on the house republican bill because they knew it would fail. the house republicans refused to bring the senate republicans bill because they're afraid it would pass. it would take us down a path where we can go forward to make a plan for how we extend it for one solid year. but how do you explain this to the american people? 90% of the senate has voted in a bipartisan way. that's what the american people want us to do, to work together for a tax cut that the american people want in overwhelming numbers and that we have the opportunity to do right here and now today. president thomas jefferson said very wisely that every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle. and so let's see what this is today. is this a difference of opinion of the path we can go down to have tax relief for the american peo

>> the senate bill, we have already taken up the senate bill. we rejected the senate bill and we moved to go to conference. under the rules of the congress, that means the papers that were in our possession are on the way back to the united states senate. >> [inaudible]. >> the senate voted to give the american people a $166 tax cut. we voted to gift american people a $1,000 tax cut. we will insist on doing this the right way. >> [inaudible]. what makes you feel that you can actually do that. >> we have not been working on this for weeks. i will make clear that i told the senate leaders, senator reed and senator mcconnell there would be no negotiations with the house until such time as the senate passed a bill. i meant whey said. when they were getting ready to pass this and somebody passed on to me what they thought it would look like, i made it clear to them at that point. i was uncomfortable with what where they were and i expressed displeasure. once again taking the convenient route and not doing the people's work. thanks, everybody. park are

>> we have already taken up the senate bill. we rejected the senate bill. we moved to go to conference. >> the house passed a one year bill. [inaudible] >> the senate voted to give the american people a $166 tax cut. we voted to give the american people $8,000 tax code. we're going to insist on doing a this-- $1,000 tax cut. we are going to insist on doing this the right way. >> do you feel you can do this between now and new year's? >> we have not been working on this for weeks. i have told the senate leaders that there will be no negotiations for the house. i meant what i said. somebody passed on to me what they thought it would look like. i made it clear to them that i was uncomfortable with where they were going. i express my displeasure in taking the convenient route. >> john boehner had blocked the senate version of the payroll tax that legislation. we are going to take calls for a few more minutes and show you some of the house floor debate on the tax-cut legislation. if you want to weigh in on line, you can go to facebook and post your thoughts there

when the senate bill to the house -- when the senate bill came to the house, they precluded the vote on the senate bill. when speaker boehner says "just come together," very frankly, his bill did not attempt to do that. he knew it was not acceptable to the senate or the president. they passed a bill which they knew was not going to pass. >> by the difference is really that small? >> our differences are not that small. there are substantial differences, which all members of the ways and means committee would be able to answer. he is going to give an example right now. i knew he would. no, our differences are not that small, which is why the senate, in trying to get to an agreement between senator mcconnell, all r lettereid, -- sen. reid, with speaker boehner's participation, could not come to an agreement. we are not going to hold hostage to these folks until we get to an agreement. >> there was a one-word pass between mr. camp and myself. he never said a word. they eliminate 40 weeks of unemployment insurance, a federal unemployment insurance. a small difference? it would have reduced

>> the senate bill -- we have are taken up the senate bill. we rejected the senate bill and we moved to go to conference. under the rules of the congress, that means that the papers that were in our possession are on their way back to the united states senate. >> the senate passed a two-month the house passed a one- year bill. voted to give the american people at $166 tax cut. we voted to give the american people a $1,000 tax cut. we are going to insist on doing this the right way. >> you guys have been working on this for weeks and have not been able to come to an agreement. what makes you feel you can do that now? >> we have not been working on this for weeks. i am going to make it clear -- i have told the senate leaders, senator reid and senator mcconnell, that there would be no negotiations with the house until the senate passed a bill. i meant what i said harry -- i meant what i said. when there were getting ready to pass this and someone passed it on to me what it would look like, i made it clear to them that i was uncomfortable with wher

for the sake of their viewers, we think those protections are in the house bill, and partly in the senate bill. the house bill terms could be included in the final package. then congress has to pay for it so the fcc can do its work and the american people can count on free and local television and continue to enjoy it. >> paul kirby is our guest reporter. >> what are some of the provisions you see in the house bill that are not in the senate bill? >> specifically, the international treaty. we were very thankful to john conyers, who represents michigan, and frankly every no. senator and congressman. they would be badly impacted by anything going forward that did not have this understanding, this reworking of the treaty with canada, and in part with mexico. that must be in place before the fcc can repack. otherwise, they literally do not have a channel to move. that is the physics of airways. >> when the house bill was marked up and are of a december, the democrats said this was too generous in terms of money reserved for broadcasters forced to relocate. in other words, they are not giving

the house bill. it's less in the senate bill and less than what the house democrats have proposed. do you think $3 billion is too generous? and if not, why not? >> guest: well, i think to properly understand the house bill, you need to understand that the $3 billion is a cap. when we went from analog to digital, the whole cost of redoing, um, the system was $15 billion for broadcasting. i hope that there's much, much less than $3 billion spent because there won't be that many that have to move. but we don't know that until they come up with a plan that says which channels have to move. and your viewers should understand that moving a broadcast tower is not an inexpensive proposition. so we don't know what the cost was. we hope it's very small. and anything that isn't spent will be put back to the treasury or to the public sector network that they want to build out on the d block which we support. >> host: you mentioned truly voluntary. you say that we're not opposed to incentive auctions as long as they're truly voluntary, but your opponents on the other side including ctia and the

we are sending this bill back to conference because the senate bill, unlike the house bill, the senate bill does not require people applying for unemployment to either get a g.e.d. or show that they're working their way toward a degree. the senate bill doesn't do those things. so we're obviously sending this bill back to conference. the house bill also gives states the flexibility to require unemployment beneficiaries to submit to drug testing, which is something, common sense that everybody in the country can understand. the speaker also included in the house bill the ability for businesses to expense 100% of the money they invest in new investments. that obviously is going to create jobs immediately. the senate took that language out. this is not complicated. if you want your payroll taxes to stay the same for 12 months, then you would support the house bill. if you want your payroll tax -- >> will the gentleman yield? >> will the gentleman yield? >> no, ma'am. we in the house want to make sure that nobody's -- mr. culberson: we want to make sure nobody's taxes go up for at least one

we need to compromise between the house-passed bill and the senate-passed bill. that's the way the founding fathers wanted it. compromise between the house, the senate, not between the senate and the senate. for two months, for the american people. that's outrageous. they deserve a year. a full year to have a payroll tax holiday. not two months. come on, ladies and gentlemen. let's send the senate a message. come back to washington, do your work, give the american people a year, not two months. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman from michigan, mr. levin. mr. levin: how much time is there left, please? the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from michigan, mr. levin, has three minutes. the gentleman from michigan, mr. camp, has 1 1/2 minutes. the gentleman from michigan, mr. levin. mr. levin: mr. camp, are you going to close? i yield myself the balance of our time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. levin: you know, i remember when i was doing arguments before a court and a judge would ask me

the senate. in fact, it was the republican leadership in the senate -- let's remember the republican leadership in the senate blocked -- blocked the vote, house republican bill in the senate. >> let me add to your question, and then i want to say something about the conferees. not only is there an agreement by the overwhelming majority in the ninth state senate, the american public overwhelmingly agrees. poll after poll shows that they think we ought to get this done. it is not simply that the tea party control conference over here disagrees with the united states senate. they are not representing the views of the american people. i pointed out to you, the conferees that had been appointed by speaker boehner have all opposed at one point in time or another, the extension of the payroll tax cut. this is a device, a gimmick, a political fray, if you will, to pretend support for something they have historically, over the last year, opposed. >> you were saying democrats [unintelligible] with all respect, this is a dog and pony show we have all attended for the last hour. [unintelligible] >> with all respect, i think the premise of a dog and pony show, this is de

>> the senate bill. we party taken up the senate bill. we reject the senate bill and remove to go to conference. under the rules of the congress, that means the papers that were in our possession are on their way back to the united states senate. idr mark >> the senate voted to give the american people $166 tax cut. we voted to give the american people a thousand dollars tax cut. we are going to insist on doing this the right way. >> you guys have been working on this for weeks and haven't been able to come to an agreement. what makes you feel you can actually do that now? >> well, we've not been working on this for weeks. i want to make clear. i've told the senate leaders, both senator reid and senator mcconnell that there would be no negotiations with the house until such time as the senate passed the bill. i meant what i said. and when they were getting ready to pass this on somebody passed onto me what they thought it would look like, i made it clear to them at that point that i was uncomfortable with where they were going. i expressed

senate bill. the senate bill is really not bipartisan, because senators cannot vote against a tax decrease, so they have to vote for it, but they know house republicans will turn the bill down and force them to go into mediation. having the senate to say you have to take on, except the senate proposal, and now we are in a deadlock or harry reid -- where harry reid says i am not going to come to the table. i think harry reid has back and sell into the corner because he says he will not negotiate. either he has to go back against his word or we're stuck in a catch-22. host: thank you for the call. all of this dating back to last year when the president will work the payroll tax from 6.2 b to 4.2. this is the money to fund at social security. the issue is whether the cable tax will increase on june reversed. jen says the larger issue is whether it the social security rate will ever be returned to 6.2%. major garrett has a piece available online at the nationaljournal.com. he summarizes it this way. here

what we did was r was reject the senate bill, the 60-day extension, instead we're for a year. again, the president has hade he's for a year. the democratic leaders in the senate have said they're for a year and we're for a year. let's get this done. when negotiations broke down, we were very close. and all we have to do is to satisfy those narrow differences that we've got and go ahead and provide certainty to families, to businesses, so that they don't have to worry with their tax status is going to be for the entirety of next year. that's all we're saying. >> now, you -- the house is 50% of this, obviously the senate is the other 50%. harry reid has now said he will not appoint conferees. you see the differences are narrow but how do we go forward if we don't have a conference committee? let me add, doesn't some of the burden lie in the house to find common ground with harry reid? >> absolutely. that's what we're saying. we want to sit down right now. we believe there is common ground on this issue and can provide some certainty in a full year's worth of tax relief for the wo

>> the senate bill, we've already taken up the senate bill. les of the conference, that means that it's on the way back to the united states senate. >> the senate passed a two-month bill. is the timing -- is the length of compromise in question? >> the senate voted oh to give out a $166 tax cut. we voted to give the american people a $1,000 tax cut. we're going to insist on doing this the right way. >> what makes you feel that you can actually do that from now until new year's? >> we have not been working on this for weeks. i want to make it clear, i told both leaders, senator reid and senator mcconnell, there would be no negotiations with the house until such time the senate passed a bill. i meant what i said. and when they were getting ready to pass this and somebody passed on to me what they thought it would look like, i made it clear to them at that point that i was uncomfortable with where they were going. i expressed my displeasure and once again taking the convenient route and not doing the people's work. thanks, everybody. [ applause ]

>> suzanne, when you say we're at gridlock, the senate overwhelmingly greed and mcconnell said this was designed to past. very frankly the house bill was designed to fail, we know that. the president said he wouldn't sign it and senate said they wouldn't pass it. they passed it to the senate anyway knowing full well it would put us in that position. the way to get beyond this is to say, okay, we apparently, at least we articulate we all agree there ought to be a year extension. in the short term because we haven't reached agreement, let's pass the senate bill and give assurance for the next 60 days that the present position will stay in place, that's not hard to do. and work for the next 60 days and hopefully we can get that done in 30 days perhaps. that which we've been unable to do so far, come to an agreement on a year's extension. the payroll tax and unemployment

the last segment. senate minority leader mitch mcconnell told the house to pass the senate bill and do a one-year extension the president saying i agree with the senate minority leader. let's get this done and help save the american people an average of $40 as the president and the white house was making an issue out of all this. we will be looking to see what other kinds of reactions we will get from john boehner who after senator mcconnell put out the statement pushed back and said no, we want an immediate one-year deal. all of us who have been following this, the idea that you will get an idea one-year deal to cover the tax cut unemployment insurance benefits and the dock fix is not going to happen. >> is this then what amounts to a find a way to save face for house republicans? how do they vote for something they voted against 48 hours ago? is that what we are looking at? >> yes, absolutely. i don't see how speaker boehner's comments after senator mcconnell's comments help in this endeavor. the house republicans are in a heap of trouble. they are in a world of hurt right now and they are getting hit fr

on saturday the senate passed a temporary bill to continue the payroll tax cut for two more months. republicans in the house of representatives want the legislation to be for a full year. the house will vote on the senate bill today but if republicans are united in vetting against the bill, it will fail. >> it's pretty clear that i and our members oppose the senate bill. it's only for two months. the president said we shouldn't go on vacation until we get our work done. and frankly republicans agree. >> it's not clear what will happen if the house as expected votes against the senate bill today. after voting for the bill on saturday the senate adjourned for the year. >>> u.s. postal service expects today be one of the busiest mailing days of the entire year. some post offices including one near los angeles airport decided to relieve some of its crush by opening the door yesterday. they expect to handle more packages today than any other day. tomorrow will be the busiest day for cards and letters. they are surprised that more people are mailing things this year than expected. >>> the

the senate democrats. they should go back into session and move with the conference and sit down and resolve this bill as quickly as possible. >> house republicans want a year extension of the payroll stakz cut. not just 60-days in the senate version. president obama says if the bill isn't passed, 160 million americans can find their taxes going up in just 11 days, costing the average american a thousand dollars a year. -- a year. >> north korea sealed their border with china ahead of kim jong-il's funeral. it is set for a week from tomorrow. they are recognizing kim jong-un as successor. kim jong-il's body is lying in state. there you can see it. north korea announced the leader died of a heart attack. >>> there is a showdown brewing between the u.s. government and the prestigous journal "science" over a bird flu study. the u.s. bio security experts are concerned research about to be published could be used to make a biological weapon. it details how scientists made a deadly version of avian flu in the lab. they want "science" to sensor the study saying it should not be completed with the complete data and expe

the senate democrats. they should go back into session and move with the conference and sit down and resolve this bill as quickly as possible. >> house republicans want a year extension of the payroll stakz cut. not just 60-days in the senate version. president obama says if the bill isn't passed, 160 million americans can find their taxes going up in just 11 days, costing the average american a thousand dollars a year. -- a year. >> north korea sealed their border with china ahead of kim jong-il's funeral. it is set for a week from tomorrow. they are recognizing kim jong-un as successor. kim jong-il's body is lying in state. there you can see it. north korea announced the leader died of a heart attack. >>> there is a showdown brewing between the u.s. government and the prestigous journal "science" over a bird flu study. the u.s. bio security experts are concerned research about to be published could be used to make a biological weapon. it details how scientists made a deadly version of avian flu in the lab. they want "science" to sensor the study saying it should not be completed with the complete data and expe

i will not vote to approve the senate changes to the house bill. of course, we sent over a versions of the senate and the senate made major changes and send it back to us and we will send back a note saying we disapprove of the changes and will have to go to conference. host: would you approve of -- disapprove of? guest: let me count the ways. beginning of do with the first thing. they have been shifting it from one year -- everyone, house, senate, president -- talking about the doc fix, so security tax holiday, for one year. the exception, in a house we put two years for the doc fix because it deals with medicare patients and stability. one-year on the payroll and one year on unemployment insurance. it went to the senate and they could not find agreement and a pointed it for two months. two months is very destabilizing in the economy. if you can't really do tax policy in a two-month time. when it goes back -- there are no reforms in the system, it is two-months rather than one year, and it makes a very big difference. and it just try to apply it be

the bipartisan bill is not at the white house. the president is not sitting on a bipartisan bill. the bipartisan senate bill is right here in the united states congress. the speaker of the house and the republican majority have the power to bring that bill up. let's get the work done. the president is waiting. he has made it very clear he will sign it. we could put this whole issue to rest by this evening, if the house republican leadership would move out of the press room and move upstairs to the floor of a house and into the american people's business. that is what we should do it then of course we should get on to extend the tax cut for the full year. the president came to the house of representatives in september and asked for a year-long extension of the tax cut. the speaker of the house and republican leadership said no, they thought it was a bad idea. interesting to hear them say today that is so important to the economy. that is what the president and house democrats were saying for months. go check the record. they be little to the idea of the payroll tax cut. -- belittled the idea of the cold

are you going to agree or disagree to the senate amendment to the house bill? >> a no vote does not send it to the president. >> if i could reclaim my time. i have reclaimed my time. it is obvious that you have come to a conclusion that the senate is not going to appoint, the -- not going to appoint conferees, the president as a request that we complete our work -- the president's request that we complete a work before we end this year has not taken place. that is your position, it cannot support our effort -- that is your position, to not support our efforts. to have this body work with the senate to make this happen. you have come to a different conclusion. >> may i give my conclusion? >> i would be happy to yield. >> thank you very much. my conclusion is that you are afraid to have a vote because you are afraid you would lose. it is a simple request we have. >> i appreciate your opinion. >> i think i speak for my colleagues -- what that is your opinion. -- >> that is your opinion. >> do not put words in my mouth. >> i did not think that going to the conferenc

called for a year long extension of the payroll tax credit of the house has passed a bill that would do just that now we also understand the senate passed a different bill. and we oppose that bill because of the two month extension it will create more uncertainty for job creators in our country when millions of americans are out of work a two month extension is nothing more than kicking the can down the road and the president has asked us to do this for a full year we did it for a full year we often you see this is the message that the republicans are banking on we're doing a year and house they're only doing two months over there in the senate or republicans don't want you to know is what's in that so-called one year extension because it's not really just a one year extension it's massive grab bag or right wing goodies poison pills for the democrats it cuts unemployment benefits that anybody can get from ninety nine weeks which took just an enormous amount of time couple of years to get the first place down to fifty nine weeks ninety nine weeks down to fifty nine weeks maximum if forces construction of the keystone x.l. pipeline

we rejected the senate bill and moved to go to conference. that means the papers that were in our possession are on their way back to the united states senate. >> [inaudible] >> the senate voted to give the american people a $166 tax cut. we voted to giver the american people a $1,000 tax cut. we are going to insist on doing this the right way. >> they have been working on this for weeks and haven't been able to come to an agreement. what makes you think you can do that between now and new year. >> we have not been working on this for weeks. i told the senate leaders that there would be no negotiations with the house until such time as the senate passed the bill. i meant what i said. and when they were getting ready to pass this and somebody passed on to me what they thought it would look like, i made it clear to them at that point that it was uncomfortable with where they were going. i expressed my displeasure. and once again taking the convenient route and not doing the people's work. thanks, everybody. alisyn: you have been rinsing to hous

. >> i'm calling on the speaker and the house republican leadership to bring up the senate bill for a vote. >> i need the president to help out, all right? >> brown: president obama and house speaker john boehner spoke separately, minutes after house republicans rejected a bipartisan senate bill that extended the payroll tax cut by two months. >> the motion is adopted. it's all yours, sir. >> thank you. >> brown: the president pressed the house to reconsider. during a surprise appearance in the white house briefing room this afternoon. >> now, let's be clear. right now the bipartisan compromise that was reached on saturday is the only viable way to prevent a tax hike on january 1. it's the only one. >> brown: speaker boehner, appearing right after the president, sounded equally firm at his own briefing. >> president obama needs to call on senate democrats to go back into session, move to go to conference and sit down and resolve this bill as quickly as possible. i sent a letter to the president today asking him to do just this. >> brown: earlier during the house debate, house majority

it is the senate bill. vote and pass it and we can move on to discussing and figuring out a solution for the extension. i know what is going to happen and i agree with the editorial. probably the best thing to do is get this behind us and move on. urging the republican leadership to change course and indorse a compromise reached in the senate. it is harming the republican party. so do the right thing. pass the payroll tax cut. make sure americans do not have their taxes go up on general one. >> what is the president offering the speaker in return for reversing himself? >> vehrs -- this is not a game of poker. we're talking about 160 million americans and their paychecks. there is no political quid pro quo. there is a bipartisan compromise reached. that garnered the support of the republican leader in the house. let's review some history. the president and democrats supported put for the american jobs act which was paid for. this was the way it should be done. when republicans walked back and that democrats c

pushing back against a senate bill passed over the weekend, house republicans refuse to hold a vote that could have extended payroll tax cuts before they expire at the end of the month. instead they challenged senate democrats to come back to town to negotiate a new deal, a political gambit that could end up being paid for by tens of millions of americans. nbc's brian mooar reports. >> the nays are -- >> reporter: the senate payroll tax cut extension slammed into a republican roadblock in the house. house republicans are trying to shame vacationing senate democrats back to the bargaining table. >> i need the president to help out, all right? >> reporter: house speaker john boehner refused a direct vote on the senate bill. instead, sending the legislation to a conference committee. but democrats say they will not negotiate. president obama accused republicans of brinksmanship. >> the clock is ticking. time is running out. and if the house republicans refuse to vote for the senate bill, or even allow it to come up for a vote, taxes will go up in 11 days. >> reporter: not only will 160 mill

pushing back against a senate bill passed over the weekend, house republicans refuse to hold a vote that could have extended payroll tax cuts before they expire at the end of the month. instead they challenged senate democrats to come back to town to negotiate a new deal, a political gambit that could end up being paid for by tens of millions of americans. nbc's brian mooar reports. >> the nays are -- >> reporter: the senate payroll tax cut extension slammed into a republican roadblock in the house. house republicans are trying to shame vacationing senate democrats back to the bargaining table. >> i need the president to help out, all right? >> reporter: house speaker john boehner refused a direct vote on the senate bill. instead, sending the legislation to a conference committee. but democrats say they will not negotiate. president obama accused republicans of brinksmanship. >> the clock is ticking. time is running out. and if the house republicans refuse to vote for the senate bill, or even allow it to come up for a vote, taxes will go up in 11 days. >> reporter: not only will 160 mill

the senate produced a bill. we expressed our reservations. >> you gave a guarantee that the pipeline would be in the deal and you got it. >> we agree with the president that all of these -- the payroll tax cut, the unemployment allrance, the doc-fix -- this needs to be done in the right way. i have seen congress kick the can down the road. we can resolve these differences and do this in a way that provides certainty for job creators in our economy. >> the bill got 90% -- >> the president asked for a full-year extension. we agree with the president. democrat leaders have said the same thing, that we should do this for the full-year. why should go to the lowest common denominator? we're prepared to do our work. >> what other changes do you want in the bill? >> we believe we past eight reasonable bill -- we believe we passed a reasonable bill. >> are you willing to look at the iraq and afghanistan funds? >> 90% of the offsets or offsets that the president agreed to. i don't believe it'll be that difficult to come to

we have to get back to this thing called order where the house passes a bill, the senate passes a bill, the come together in conference and they work it out. we spent so many years trying to mandate issues and we forgot there is this thing called order. and the senate needs to get back. they need to find what it takes to do this for a year. they could not find ways to come up to pay for it. the president needs to get off than the campaign trail and get back to washington -- or he is in washington, but he needs to get back to work. host: we will hear from the president. we heard from jay carney yesterday. the president went shopping at a petsmart store. the question is whether he will join them in hawaii or stay here. inside "the new york times" -- again, this morning from inside "the new york times." lyndon is joining us from virginia. what is your answer? caller: my answer is, yes, absolutely. the $40 per page. or $80 a month may not seem like a lot -- for those people who are struggling, that is a lot. $40, if you drive a small car, is a tank of gas. it helps the economy because it a

the house. house republicans are trying to shame vacationing senate democrats back to the bargaining table -- house speaker john boehner refused a direct vote on the senate bill, instead sending the legislation to a committee, but democrats say they will not negotiate. president obam accused republicans of brinksmanship. >> the clock is ticking. time is running out. if the house republicans refused to vote for the senate bill, or even allow it to come up for a vote, taxes will go up in 11 days. >> not only will 160 million americans get a tax increase, 2.2 million will lose -- term unemployment benefits, and some could lose -- 2.2 million will lose long-term unemployment benefits. >> fixing something for two months is not fixing something. >> an excuse, because they did not ever want to pass it from the beginning. >> on capitol hill, high-stakes drama with real-life consequences. speaker boehner has already named negotiators for a negotiation that may not happen. in washington, brian mooar, wbal tv 11 news. >> and the news is very good on wall street. a jump in construction in the u.s. and news from europe sent stocks up. the nasdaq and s&p reported strong ga

processes throughout the history of this country, over 200 years, is that if the house passes a bill, which we did and the senate passes a bill, which they did, and they're different, the way that you sort out those differences is in a conference committee. this is pretty basic stuff, this isn't complicated. >> let me interrupt. i take your point, but we're ten days away from 160 million americans seeing a tax increase, something neither democrats or republicans i would guess want. >> absolutely. >> do we have a time for a congressional committee. aren't there times you have to go beyond the traditional way of doing business, so people don't get hit in their pocket books on the first day of the new year? >> well we think there's more than enough time. without a doubt as a physician i certainly worked through chriss and new year's in the past. but we know that none of this will happen unless the president and senator reid agree that we ought to have conferrees, we can't talk to the wall. look, legislative business is not solitaire. it requires two parties. and again, this is pretty simple basic stuff that's in ev

here on the payroll tax cut extension that perhaps speaker of the house john boehner would allow the senate billonsent on the house floor, and possibly that would go over to the senate, under e thesthe us a pass they would go into conferree. frank thorpe, our producer, is also reporting that at 5:00 p.m., the house gop conference is going to have a conference call. that's important, because that means every single member is going to get on there, they're obviously going to hear some member from speaker bayner and the leadership. the last time they had a conference call, richard, is when speaker boehner had to pull back and this is where we are now. the fact that there's a conference call at 5:00 p.m. leads us to believe that some explanation from boehner will be going out to his members about what the next step forward is going to be, and from conversations around the hill, it looks like there's some agreement that could be reached as early as tonight or maybe tomorrow as the fall out from this politically has been very damaging to the house gop brand, richard. >> so what's your hunch here? >> r

i do not really have more details on the issue of the two- year reauthorization bill, other than to say this is yeoman's work on the part of senator boxer to try to get a bill and create some stability for funding for the transportation sector in the next couple of years. it is clear that we have gone from a six-rebel 20-year bill, because the resource issue, the revenue issue is still unresolved. in fact, even the senate bill has a $12 billion hole, and that is more than 10% of the total funding for those two years. i think you can count on a fight of some sort in the house to try to get to a similar level of commitment for a two-year bill, even for a two-year bill. and the local level, when we commit to voters the sales tax, a 30-year plan, we expect that the federal level, there will be a little -- a level of commitment that would allow us to leverage the funds that the locals are willing to commit to. so the two-year effort is better than nothing, certainly, especially at this time of economic hardship. but we need multi-year commitments to be able to engage in multi-your initiatives, like the high-speed rail initiative and ot

and it is the senate bill. ove on to discussing and figuring out a solution for the year-long extension. senator corker, republican from tennessee, i know what's going to happen and i agree with the editorial this morning in the "wall street journal," probably the best thing to do at this point is just get this behind us and move on. urging the house republican leadership to change course and endorse a compromise reached in the senate that got the support of 90% of those members. democrats and senators alike. senator mccain, it is harming the republican party. it is harming the view, if it's possible any more, of the american people about congress. so do the right thing. pass the payroll tax cut. make sure americans don't have their taxes go up. on january 1st. yes, alex? >> just staying with this theme. so specifically what is the president offering -- >> that was jay carney, speaking about the pitched battle going on over the payroll tax cut. we'll be back after the break with more in-depth analysis of just wh