Congress moves toward ending payroll tax cut fight

Congress moves toward ending payroll tax cut fight

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress is getting ready to vote on extending a payroll tax cut for 160 million workers and jobless benefits for people out of work the longest, a showdown that many legislators hope will finally end a standoff that has dominated Washington since the fall. Lawmakers were expecting the House and Senate to vote today on the $143 billion package, which also would forestall deep cuts in Medicare reimbursements to doctors. The tax cuts, jobless coverage and higher doctors’ payments would all run through 2012.