Republicans plan House OK of payroll tax cut bill

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House promised a veto today for a Republican bill renewing a payroll tax cut next year for 160 million workers, complaining that spending cuts that pay for the measure would whack the middle class and require no sacrifice from the rich.

The threat came as the House began debating the bill, which would also extend long-term unemployment benefits and prevent a cut in Medicare payments to doctors. The GOP-led chamber was expected to approve the legislation later today, though it was virtually certain to die in the Democratic-run Senate.

President Obama previously had objected to a provision in the bill forcing work on a proposed oil pipeline that would stretch from Canada to the Gulf Coast, which the president wants to delay.

Today's veto threat was more strongly worded and broadened his objections to the bill's unfair treatment of low- and middle-income earners, a theme that has become a dominant one for Democrats as the two parties position themselves for next year's elections.

"If the president were presented with H.R. 3630, he would veto the bill," the statement said, referring to the number of the legislation.