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Rep. Greg Walden, (R-Ore.), on efforts to reach a compromise on an extension of the payroll tax cut.
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Joining me now congressman Greg Walden chairman of the house Republican leadership who supported by speaker Boehner to the panel -- to renegotiate a plan with the senate.
Course I really don't even aware that is at this point -- you guys really gonna sit down and negotiate this thing out is that gonna happen.
But Jerry thanks for having me on first of all it can happen -- adults we get ten days to work it out.
May be helpful if the president the United States would house majority leader of the senate to send somebody we could sit down and talk with the negotiate -- the differences between the house and the senate that's called the legislative process.
We think that's how it should work house Republicans believe in giving this tax reduction working Americans we figured out a way to pay for it -- doesn't rob from the Social Security trust fund.
We extended unemployment insurance for those who are unfortunately unable to get a job and we took care of another issue -- have even reference which is the doc fix for the right.
Let me let me tell you -- -- greater -- the ideology is sounds so logical but I don't think that what you're saying is the way that Americans are necessarily perceiving this situation.
Let me be -- for example.
This is Steny Hoyer to the presiding speaker of the house what he's saying is probably how Americans see this -- take a listen.
Now stands adjourned until 10 AM on Friday speaker when it is -- -- Atlanta with respect your.
Elders.
But like to I asked for unanimous consent that we bring up the bill to extend the tax cut for a 160 million Americans as you walk off the floor mr.
speaker you're walking out.
You're walking away just as so many Republicans have walked away from middle class taxpayers.
And it's not just any lawyer giving your party a hard time near the Wall Street Journal today in an editorial saying that the Republicans.
They're just doing the wrong thing here -- -- when they should be acting how do you respond to this criticism.
Well first voluntary the house did acted acted in a bipartisan manner.
It sent the senate legislation.
To extend the payroll tax for hardworking middle income Americans for a full year.
It extended.
The unemployment benefits for those seeking work.
For a full year and did reforms that needed to be done to root out waste fraud and abuse in the system allows states greater flexibility -- -- huge issue.
About making sure physicians are properly compensated so they'll continue to see Medicare -- so.
Is that I think they wanna sell what it -- so many American Italian your congressman.
Congressman well I think to take away for so many Americans out there is that the president now looks like the tax cut her.
And that's great results well Gerri let's just do the facts here -- you know -- I don't have a bigger megaphone -- the White House so let me just give you the facts the facts are.
House Republicans.
Bipartisan vote passed legislation for a year long tax cut for a thousand dollars.
Democrats in the senate combined with other Republicans in the senate came back -- -- two months tax -- for a 166 point well.
And Lisa number that would close now and then say yeah I understand that and and those are in fact the fact so beyond that I can't give out sir you know something's very different what I'm talking about -- perception.
And I believe house Republicans are getting overrun by perception let me ask you this question about it by may.
Let me ask you this question about John Boehner.
Speaker of the house originally he said he was okay with a two month extension of the payroll tax cut.
But -- any had to backtrack and that's because a very conservative Republicans Tea Party Republicans.
Is -- leadership of the house being run by the Tea Party.
Well I think what you saw on the floor of the house -- a unanimous vote by Republicans rejecting what the senate had done in putting this in conference that we could work out the differences between the house and the senate.
You get a long term tax cut.
For middle class working Americans I don't see what's wrong with that we may not be winning the perception war.
But we're right on the policy and that's really what you want us to do -- -- get the right policy not the right politic well.
I'm gonna tell you though this election is coming -- I mean it's fascinating to see.
How listing -- seems to be turned over on the Republicans on its head.
Tellingly this is all gonna go next in in particular one of the things I'm concerned about and for our viewers -- I'm sure it's not anything that's not on your radar -- Is the AMT.
Now I know you don't have to fix the AMT right now.
Avoid anti -- -- a lot of Americans who would love to see that happen before the end of the year absent any possibility.
That that could get fixed before the end of the year.
Well the Senate's not -- -- has said it has no plans to come back so that would be a little difficult to do any kind of major tax structure.
Reform before that I know Dave Camp the chairman house Ways and Means Committee is working on -- conference -- tax reform.
To deal with all these issues -- these loopholes deal with the AMT going forward and plans to bring that up next year so there is a plan to do that.
But right now the senate says it's not coming back it's not in session it's not an issue -- disagreement even that the conference committee could take up.
Well I you know I don't think -- the AMT patch is considered make major tax reform guys do it every year.
Just a question of whether it's gonna get on your agenda this year but something you said interested me here you said the -- at a town.
We can't give it to it because they're not here so how are you gonna get this payroll tax cut fixed if they're not around what can happen how can this get done so.
-- a couple of things that could happen the president of the senate majority leader senator excuse me could bring the senate back.
The majority leader by unanimous consent could appoint conferees.
We could sit down and -- and hash out the differences between the house and the senate as we get on the appropriations bill to fund the government through the end of the year as we did on the national defense authorization act.
Which has been passed as a result of a joint conference between the house and senate has now law.
This is the way the process should work it shouldn't be all about political brinksmanship -- -- gonna come up to.
More than that ten days we -- this out -- it should be about sportsmanship I agree with you on that.
Why didn't house Republicans and the house and the senate Republicans get together with the plan they can both -- to you.
Look -- house did its work get passed a bill to the senate.
What the speaker said to the senate was you all pass a bill C what you can come up with send it back to us and we'll get together worked out the differences.
That's the point we're at now in the house said to the senate.
Let's go to conference let's meet in the room and trying to work this out what's wrong with that process of saying well can't we just get together can't we just be friends who work this what I -- I -- dollars and 22 years she didn't -- I.
-- -- -- -- -- ever again but I also hear that there's no room for negotiation of things like there is congressman there is well for negotiate when your lips to God's -- sir thank you for your time today I appreciate it.
I wish you good luck -- thank you thank.
