Over 30 Democrats defect as test vote on tax cuts passes

Thirty-three House Democrats broke with their party Thursday on a key test vote on a bill that would extend only some of the expiring Bush era tax cuts.

The House narrowly passed debate rules on the proposal 213-203. The vote allows the House to move to debate and a vote on final passage to extend only the Bush tax cuts for the middle-class, letting end the cuts for high income earners. 

House Republicans — who want all the cuts extended permanently — framed the vote on the rule as a vote to raise taxes on small-businesses.

“On the floor right now, we are debating the Rule for House Democrats’ bill to allow a massive tax hike to hit American families and small businesses at the end of this month,” Michael Steel, a top spokesman for Speaker-designate John Boehner (R-Ohio), wrote in an e-mail to reporters. “Voting for this rule is, in effect, a vote to raise taxes and destroy jobs, and yet another sign that Washington Democrats just don’t get it.”

The vote comes as White House negotiators continue to meet with leaders from both political parties in Congress to reach a compromise on the expiring tax cuts. Boehner this week accused Democrats of undermining those negotiations with Thursday’s vote. 

The vast majority of Democrats who voted with the GOP were centrist Blue Dog Democrats, many of whom were defeated on Election Day.

Even if it passes the House, Republican Rep. Kevin Brady (Texas) said Thursday on Fox Business Network, the plan is “dead on arrival in the Senate.” 

Here is a list of House Democrats who voted against their party:

Rep. John Adler (N.J.)
Rep. Jason Altmire (Pa.)
Rep. Brian Baird (Wash.)
Rep. Melissa Bean (Ill.)
Rep. Marion Berry (Ark.)
Rep. Dan Boren (Okla.)
Rep. Allen Boyd (Fla.)
Rep. Bobby Bright (Ala.)
Rep. Ben Chandler (Ky.)
Rep. Gerry Connolly (Va.)
Rep. Jim Cooper (Tenn.)
Rep. Jim Costa (Calif.)
Rep. Jerry Costello (Ill.)
Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper (Pa.)
Rep. Artur Davis (Ala.)
Rep. Brad Ellsworth (Ind.)
Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (S.D.)
Rep. Jim Himes (Conn.)
Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick (Ariz.)
Rep. Dan Lipinski (Ill.)
Rep. Jim Marshall (Ga.)
Rep. Jim Matheson (Utah)
Rep. Mike McIntyre (N.C.)
Rep. Walt Minnick (Idaho)
Rep. Harry Mitchell (Ariz.)
Rep. Jim Moran (Va.)
Rep. Tom Perriello (Va.)
Rep. Gary Peters (Mich.)
Rep. Collin Peterson (Minn.)
Rep. Earl Pomeroy (N.D.)
Rep. Mike Ross (Ark.)
Rep. Heath Shuler (N.C.)
Rep. Zack Space (Ohio)

This post was updated at 12:55 p.m.