Hoyer Blasts Tea Party Politics As Payroll Vote Looms

By Tim Young

House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) blamed tea party politics Monday for threatening the extension of payroll relief.

Speaking to reporters, Hoyer described the current session of Congress as the  “most unproductive Tea Party dominated partisan session of Congress in which [he] has participated.”

Hoyer quoted four Republican Senators who seem to be in agreement with him, Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN), Senator Scott Brown (R-MA), Senator Dean Heller (R-NV), and Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME).

In the absence of a year-long deal over payroll relief, the Senate voted with an overwhelming majority Saturday in favor of a two-month extension. House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) initially signaled his support for the compromise, but ultimately changed his mind after an apparent rebellion from rank-and-file Republicans. A vote on the Senate version is still expected to take place Monday evening, but the likelihood of it passing is in severe doubt.

Hoyer described the looming vote as the last chance Congress will have to extend payroll relief before the holidays.

“We’re going to determine if there will be a Happy New Year,” Hoyer said.