House to vote on tax extenders, Keystone next week

The House will consider two packages of bills to permanently extend sections of the tax code next week, as well as clear the Senate-passed measure to approve the Keystone XL oil sands pipeline.

One of the packages will permanently renew tax credits for charitable contributions, while the other would extend the Section 179 credit that allows businesses to write off certain expenses.

{mosads}”This will make a real difference in the lives of Americans by encouraging donations of property for conservation and enhancing deductions for food contributions to those in need,” House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said Thursday, as he laid out the weekly floor schedule.

President Obama has threatened to veto the Keystone bill, which did not secure veto-proof majorities in either the House or Senate.

“I do sincerely hope he considers his long-standing veto threat and sides with the American people by signing this important jobs bill,” McCarthy said.

During the weekly floor colloquy with House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), the two sparred over who is to blame for the standoff over funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

McCarthy accused Senate Democrats of obstructing even simple debate on the House-passed measure, which includes language to defund President Obama’s executive actions on immigration. The president has also threatened to veto the legislation.

McCarthy argued that Democrats could at least vote to proceed to the bill and offer amendments.

“So if people disagree with the House bill, all they have to do is take the bill up,” McCarthy said.

But Hoyer said Republicans were creating an unnecessary conflict, since both parties support the underlying funds for DHS.

“If there’s anything that is frustrating the American people, it is that when we have something that we agree upon, that we turn it into something that we can’t agree on,” Hoyer said. 

Funding for the DHS expires on Feb. 27.