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| Amid Pressure, House Passes Fiscal Deal | |
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| WASHINGTON — House Republicans, fearful of blame and political recrimination for looming tax increases on most Americans, reversed course on Tuesday and cleared the way for House approval of a measure that would avert most of the increases as well as large cuts in spending for the Pentagon and other government programs. | WASHINGTON — House Republicans, fearful of blame and political recrimination for looming tax increases on most Americans, reversed course on Tuesday and cleared the way for House approval of a measure that would avert most of the increases as well as large cuts in spending for the Pentagon and other government programs. |
| The decision to allow the vote came despite widespread scorn among House Republicans for the bill — passed overwhelmingly by the Senate in the early hours of New Year’s Day — because it does not include significant spending cuts in health and social programs. They say cuts are essential to any long-term solution to the nation’s debt. | The decision to allow the vote came despite widespread scorn among House Republicans for the bill — passed overwhelmingly by the Senate in the early hours of New Year’s Day — because it does not include significant spending cuts in health and social programs. They say cuts are essential to any long-term solution to the nation’s debt. |
| But with options shrinking just two days before the beginning of a new Congress, House leaders made one of the biggest concessions of the party’s rebellious past two years and let the measure move forward. They wanted to avoid being seen as the chief obstacle to legislation that President Obama and a bipartisan Senate majority say is necessary to prevent the nation from slipping back into a recession. | But with options shrinking just two days before the beginning of a new Congress, House leaders made one of the biggest concessions of the party’s rebellious past two years and let the measure move forward. They wanted to avoid being seen as the chief obstacle to legislation that President Obama and a bipartisan Senate majority say is necessary to prevent the nation from slipping back into a recession. |
| The measure, while less reflective of Mr. Obama’s fiscal agenda than Senate Democrats had wished, provided fewer concessions than the president initially offered in a tentative agreement with Speaker John A. Boehner last month, and it was a far cry from what was on the table last year when negotiators were trying to reach what they called a grand bargain. | The measure, while less reflective of Mr. Obama’s fiscal agenda than Senate Democrats had wished, provided fewer concessions than the president initially offered in a tentative agreement with Speaker John A. Boehner last month, and it was a far cry from what was on the table last year when negotiators were trying to reach what they called a grand bargain. |
| Still, many Republicans, in light of the broad support for the bill in the Senate and in the face of unwavering, rare party discipline among Democrats, concluded they had little room to maneuver. They decided they would save their fire for the coming rounds of the fight — the effort to increase the nation’s debt ceiling again in a month or two and an expiring governmentwide spending bill. | Still, many Republicans, in light of the broad support for the bill in the Senate and in the face of unwavering, rare party discipline among Democrats, concluded they had little room to maneuver. They decided they would save their fire for the coming rounds of the fight — the effort to increase the nation’s debt ceiling again in a month or two and an expiring governmentwide spending bill. |
| “We are ensuring that taxes are not increasing on 99 percent of our fellow Americans,” Representative David Dreier, Republican of California and chairman of the House Rules Committee, said in support of the bill as the House began debate on Tuesday. Aides to House leaders in both parties expressed confidence in its passage. | “We are ensuring that taxes are not increasing on 99 percent of our fellow Americans,” Representative David Dreier, Republican of California and chairman of the House Rules Committee, said in support of the bill as the House began debate on Tuesday. Aides to House leaders in both parties expressed confidence in its passage. |
| The dynamic with the House was a near replay of a fight at the end of 2011 over a payroll tax break extension. In that showdown, Senate Democrats and Republicans passed legislation and House Republicans fulminated, but they were eventually forced to swallow it. | The dynamic with the House was a near replay of a fight at the end of 2011 over a payroll tax break extension. In that showdown, Senate Democrats and Republicans passed legislation and House Republicans fulminated, but they were eventually forced to swallow it. |
| Much of Tuesday was spent exploring the possibility of adding spending cuts to the measure and returning it to the Senate, but the leadership suddenly abandoned that approach Tuesday evening. | Much of Tuesday was spent exploring the possibility of adding spending cuts to the measure and returning it to the Senate, but the leadership suddenly abandoned that approach Tuesday evening. |
| Several Republicans said the growing realization that the Senate would not take up their amended bill made an up-or-down vote all but inevitable at some point if they wanted to avoid blame falling on the House. “That puts us in a tough spot if they don’t take it up,” said Rich Nugent, Republican of Florida. “You can be right and you can be dead right.” | Several Republicans said the growing realization that the Senate would not take up their amended bill made an up-or-down vote all but inevitable at some point if they wanted to avoid blame falling on the House. “That puts us in a tough spot if they don’t take it up,” said Rich Nugent, Republican of Florida. “You can be right and you can be dead right.” |
| The bill was going to pass only with a mix of Republican and Democratic votes, given the depth of opposition in the Republican ranks. Failure would mean the nation would move closer to the tax increases that technically went into effect on New Year’s Day. Backers of the measure hoped a quick resolution in the House would limit any economic harm. | The bill was going to pass only with a mix of Republican and Democratic votes, given the depth of opposition in the Republican ranks. Failure would mean the nation would move closer to the tax increases that technically went into effect on New Year’s Day. Backers of the measure hoped a quick resolution in the House would limit any economic harm. |
| Earlier in the day, as they got a detailed look at the Senate fiscal legislation passed in the early-morning hours, House Republicans ranging from Midwest pragmatists to Tea Party-blessed conservatives voiced serious reservations about the measure, which would allow taxes to go up on household income over $400,000 for individuals and $450,000 for couples. | Earlier in the day, as they got a detailed look at the Senate fiscal legislation passed in the early-morning hours, House Republicans ranging from Midwest pragmatists to Tea Party-blessed conservatives voiced serious reservations about the measure, which would allow taxes to go up on household income over $400,000 for individuals and $450,000 for couples. |
| They emerged from a lunchtime New Year’s Day meeting with their leaders, eyes flashing and faces grim, and said they would not accept a bill with tax increases for wealthy Americans without substantial savings from cuts. | They emerged from a lunchtime New Year’s Day meeting with their leaders, eyes flashing and faces grim, and said they would not accept a bill with tax increases for wealthy Americans without substantial savings from cuts. |
| The unrest reached to the highest levels as Representative Eric Cantor of Virginia, the House majority leader, told members in a closed-door meeting in the basement of the Capitol that he could not support the legislation in its current form. Speaker John A. Boehner, who faces a re-election vote on his post on Thursday when the 113th Congress convenes, had grave reservations as well, though he had earlier pledged to allow the House to consider any legislation that cleared the Senate. Mr. Boehner, though, was not eager to have such a major piece of legislation pass with mainly opposition votes, an outcome that could undermine his authority. | The unrest reached to the highest levels as Representative Eric Cantor of Virginia, the House majority leader, told members in a closed-door meeting in the basement of the Capitol that he could not support the legislation in its current form. Speaker John A. Boehner, who faces a re-election vote on his post on Thursday when the 113th Congress convenes, had grave reservations as well, though he had earlier pledged to allow the House to consider any legislation that cleared the Senate. Mr. Boehner, though, was not eager to have such a major piece of legislation pass with mainly opposition votes, an outcome that could undermine his authority. |
| Adding to the pressure on the House, the fiscal agreement was reached by Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Senate Republican leader, and had deep Republican support in the Senate, isolating the House Republicans in their opposition. Some of the Senate Republicans who backed the bill are staunch conservatives with deep credibility among House Republicans. | Adding to the pressure on the House, the fiscal agreement was reached by Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Senate Republican leader, and had deep Republican support in the Senate, isolating the House Republicans in their opposition. Some of the Senate Republicans who backed the bill are staunch conservatives with deep credibility among House Republicans. |
| The options before the House Republicans were fraught with risks. Senate Democrats said they would not brook any serious amendments to their bill — one that was hard fought and passed in the dark of night with many clenched teeth on either side of the aisle. Senate Democratic leaders planned no more votes before the new Congress convenes Thursday afternoon. | The options before the House Republicans were fraught with risks. Senate Democrats said they would not brook any serious amendments to their bill — one that was hard fought and passed in the dark of night with many clenched teeth on either side of the aisle. Senate Democratic leaders planned no more votes before the new Congress convenes Thursday afternoon. |
| An up-or-down House vote on the Senate measure would present many Republicans with a nearly impossible choice: to vote against legislation to end the standoff that most Americans wish to see cease, or to vote to allow taxes to go up on wealthy Americans without any of the changes to spending and entitlement programs they have fought for vigorously for the better part of two years. | An up-or-down House vote on the Senate measure would present many Republicans with a nearly impossible choice: to vote against legislation to end the standoff that most Americans wish to see cease, or to vote to allow taxes to go up on wealthy Americans without any of the changes to spending and entitlement programs they have fought for vigorously for the better part of two years. |
| “I have read the bill and can’t find the spending cuts — even with an electron magnifying glass,” said Representative Trey Gowdy of South Carolina, who generally votes against budget bills. “It’s part medicinal, part placebo, and part treating the symptoms but not the underlying pathology.” | “I have read the bill and can’t find the spending cuts — even with an electron magnifying glass,” said Representative Trey Gowdy of South Carolina, who generally votes against budget bills. “It’s part medicinal, part placebo, and part treating the symptoms but not the underlying pathology.” |
| A failure to pass any measure before the 112th Congress ends would require the process to start over in the new Congress. This means the Senate would have to vote again with a changed membership, given the departure of several veteran lawmakers and the arrival of newcomers from both parties elected in November. | A failure to pass any measure before the 112th Congress ends would require the process to start over in the new Congress. This means the Senate would have to vote again with a changed membership, given the departure of several veteran lawmakers and the arrival of newcomers from both parties elected in November. |
| Democrats had their own problems with the measure but they emerged from their own closed-door meeting, with Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., who had negotiated the pact, resigned to the deal if not ecstatic about it. As he did with Senate Democrats the night before, Mr. Biden walked House members step-by-step through the negotiations, the legislation and the path forward on future deficit confrontations. | Democrats had their own problems with the measure but they emerged from their own closed-door meeting, with Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., who had negotiated the pact, resigned to the deal if not ecstatic about it. As he did with Senate Democrats the night before, Mr. Biden walked House members step-by-step through the negotiations, the legislation and the path forward on future deficit confrontations. |
| “It is clear that the vice president and the president are convinced that they have done the right thing,” said Representative Elijah E. Cummings, Democrat of Maryland. “They don’t see it as a perfect deal though, and nobody else does.” | “It is clear that the vice president and the president are convinced that they have done the right thing,” said Representative Elijah E. Cummings, Democrat of Maryland. “They don’t see it as a perfect deal though, and nobody else does.” |
| Democrats urged Republicans to bring the bill to the floor. | Democrats urged Republicans to bring the bill to the floor. |
| “The only responsible path forward is for House Republicans to immediately hold an up-or-down vote on the bipartisan Senate legislation,” said Representative Sander M. Levin, Democrat of Michigan. | “The only responsible path forward is for House Republicans to immediately hold an up-or-down vote on the bipartisan Senate legislation,” said Representative Sander M. Levin, Democrat of Michigan. |
| The last time the House voted on New Year’s Day, according to Congressional staff members on the Rules Committee, was in 1951, on a measure concerning money for the Korean War. | The last time the House voted on New Year’s Day, according to Congressional staff members on the Rules Committee, was in 1951, on a measure concerning money for the Korean War. |
| Mr. Dreier, the Rules Committee chairman, supported the bill, though he had wanted to see more savings in entitlement programs. “Under the circumstances,” he said, “it’s the very best that can be done. I don’t like it. But, as one of my predecessors once said, if everybody hates the legislation, it’s probably a pretty good bill.” | Mr. Dreier, the Rules Committee chairman, supported the bill, though he had wanted to see more savings in entitlement programs. “Under the circumstances,” he said, “it’s the very best that can be done. I don’t like it. But, as one of my predecessors once said, if everybody hates the legislation, it’s probably a pretty good bill.” |
Robert Pear contributed reporting. | Robert Pear contributed reporting. |