House Dem leaders reject amendment to extend tax rates for wealthy

“We strongly support efforts to provide permanent tax relief
to middle-class families, and we appreciate your efforts to bring this critical
legislation to the floor today,” the Democrats wrote. “However, we also believe
that it makes sense to protect economic recovery by, in addition to making
these tax cuts permanent for the middle class, temporarily extending tax cuts
for other taxpayers for one year.

“Give the limited time available before families and small
businesses will see their tax burden increase on January 1, 2011, we appreciate
the need to act quickly to bring this legislation to the floor.

“However, we would have preferred that this critical
legislation be brought to the floor under a rule that would have allowed us to
offer an amendment temporarily extending the income tax cuts for individuals
making over $200,000 and families making over $250,000 a year.”

All four of the Democrats on the letter joined 29 other Democrats
and every Republican in opposing adoption of the rule, which ultimately passed
213-203.

The vote on extending the middle-class cuts is largely
symbolic, because the Senate is not expected to pass the same bill. It comes amid
bipartisan negotiations to resolve the impasse over the George W. Bush-era tax
cuts, which many in Washington expect will result in a temporary extension of
all the rates.

A Democratic leadership aide said in response to the letter
from the rank-and-file members that Republicans were to blame for opposing a
simple extension of the middle-class rates. Democratic alternatives, the aide
suggested, could be considered as part of the ongoing negotiations with the
Senate and the White House, in which Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) is
representing House Democrats.