WASHINGTON — Despite a delay, the White House pushed hard Thursday for the House to pass a tax package that would save millions of Americans thousands of dollars in higher taxes beginning Jan. 1.
Some Democratic lawmakers are seeking changes to the package that could derail the bill. Democratic leaders are staying hands-off, leaving it to President Barack Obama to persuade fellow Democrats not to put the package at risk by imposing a higher estate tax than he negotiated with Republicans.
"I think the president has been working it hard," Rep. Xavier Becerra, D-Calif., a member of the House Democratic leadership team, said Thursday.
The Senate overwhelmingly passed the package Wednesday, with broad bipartisan support. Obama is urging the House to pass it without changes, so he can sign it into law before a sweeping series of tax cuts expires at the end of December. 
[See photos of the Obamas behind the scenes.]
But first, they will hold a vote on imposing the higher estate tax, backed by rebellious Democrats who say the package is too generous to the wealthy.
House Democratic leaders originally arranged for a final vote on the measure by Thursday evening, but the timetable was in danger of slipping after a dispute arose over the terms of the debate.
"This is a vote people are making for their consciences, and for their districts," said Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-N.Y., chairwoman of the House Rules Committee.
House Democratic leaders are not twisting arms on the estate tax vote, Slaughter said. They are leaving that to the White House.
Many House Democrats, even critics of the bill, are resigned to it ultimately passing with the lower estate tax, especially after the Senate approved it, 81-19.
"It just seems like the momentum is with a bill that is unchanged," said Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md. Cummings said he will vote against the bill, despite a call from Obama earlier in the week.
The stakes are high. If the House passes the higher estate tax, the bill would go back to the Senate, jeopardizing the entire package and representing a public rebuke of Obama by members of his own party.
Tax cuts affecting Americans at every income level are scheduled to expire in a little more than two weeks. The package would extend them for two years.
The tax cuts, enacted under former President George W. Bush, include a more generous child tax credit, tax breaks for college students, lower taxes on capital gains and dividends and a series of business tax breaks designed to encourage investment. The package would also renew a program of jobless benefits for the long-term unemployed and enact a one-year cut in Social Security taxes. [Read 10 Things You Didn't Know About the Bush Tax Cuts.]
A worker making $50,000 in wages would save $1,000 under the cut in Social Security taxes. A worker making $100,000 would save $2,000.
The bill's cost, $858 billion, would be added to the deficit.
"I know that not every member of Congress likes every piece of this bill, and it includes some provisions that I oppose," Obama said. "But as a whole, this package will grow our economy, create jobs and help middle class families across the country.
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Lee Hansen of MI 10:01AM December 17, 2010