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众议院延期税案表决，财政不确定性增加 Tax Vote Delay Raises Fiscal Uncertainty

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21 December, 2012

美国国会众议院共和党领袖贝纳议长说，现在取决于奥巴马总统是否与参议院领袖展开合作，研究避免年底出现财政悬崖危机的计划。分析人士说，财政悬崖有可能让美国经济陷入衰退。

星期四晚间，在众议院共和党领导人突然推迟就议长贝纳提出的税收案进行的表决后不久，贝纳议长发表声明。

按照贝纳的方案，收入100万美元以上的家庭税率将提高。贝纳说，他没有得到足够的支持以通过这一方案。而早些时候他曾预计方案能够得到通过。

投票表决主要具有的是象征意义。民主党主控的参议院领导人说，贝纳的方案没有任何可能性能够在参议院过关。

而奥巴马总统则誓言，即使参众两院均通过贝纳的方案，他也将否决此方案。奥巴马希望，减税只适用于家庭收入达40万美元以下的人。

参议院的民主党人已经通过一项议案，将收入高于25万美元的家庭税率提高。他们表示，这是他们希望众议院议长贝纳拿出的方案。

国会议员们将于12月25日开始圣诞节休假。直到他们归来之前，众议院不大可能采取任何其他行动。

本星期早些时候，奥巴马总统曾说，他和贝纳已经相对接近达成协议。如果双方无法达成妥协，美国在1月1日就要跌入所谓“财政悬崖”，也就是自动削减5000亿美元的政府开支，并使几乎所有工作的美国人都要多缴税。


The top Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives says it is now up to President Barack Obama to work with the Senate's leader on a plan to avert a year-end crisis that analysts say could plunge the economy into recession.

House Speaker John Boehner issued the statement late Thursday, shortly after House Republican leaders abruptly put off a vote on his proposal that would have let tax rates rise for those earning $1 million or more. Boehner said he did not have enough support to pass the measure, although earlier in the day he had predicted victory.

A vote would have been largely symbolic. Leaders in the Democratic-controlled Senate said Boehner's plan had no chance of passing in that chamber.

Also, President Barack Obama, who wants a tax break extended only up to the $400,000 income level, had vowed to veto the measure even if both houses of Congress passed it.

Senate Democrats have already passed a bill that raises taxes on income higher than $250,000. They have said this is the plan they want from Boehner in the House.

It is unlikely that there will be any more House action until lawmakers return from their break for the December 25 Christmas holiday.

Earlier in the week, the president said he and Boehner were relatively close to an agreement on a compromise to avert what Washington is calling a "fiscal cliff" -- $500 billion in mandated spending cuts and tax increases that would affect almost all American workers starting January 1.