Dems will vote on just middle class tax cuts, Hoyer says

By Greg Sargent

Steny Hoyer, the number two in the House Dem leadership, told Democrats at a caucus meeting this morning that they would get to vote this year on just extending the Bush tax cuts for the middle class, a senior Dem aide tells me, signaling support for a confrontational move towards the GOP that liberals have been pushing.

Asked if Democrats would definitely get a chance to hold this vote, the senior aide responded: "Definitely."

Hoyer's declaration comes as Democrats have been debating the way forward on the Bush tax cuts, and another aide tells me that "more than half" of the Dem caucus supports this course of action.

The move indicates that House Dems are growing more resolved to draw a hard line on the Bush tax cuts, forcing Republicans to choose between supporting Obama's tax plan and opposing a tax cut for the middle class. However, the way forward still remains murky. Even if such a measure were to pass in the House, it's unclear whether the Senate will agree to such a vote, and the White House has not endorsed the approach.

What's more, the vote could conceivably go down, or alternatively, Republicans might successfully mount a procedural response, known as a "motion to recommit," that could also force a House vote on the high end cuts. I have not been able to determine how House Dems might respond to such a move.

For all these reasons, this House move does not preclude a deal being reached in the end on a temporary extension of all the cuts. And plans could still change: The House Dem leadership has yet to publicly endorse this plan.

Still, this is a real step forward.

UPDATE, 3:08 p.m.: The Progressive Change Campaign Committee's Adam Green, who's been pushing this idea, responds:

"This is a big step in the right direction. But it's very important that Democrats make clear that there will absolutely be no vote at any point this year on permanently or temporarily extending tax cuts for the wealthy. Republicans need to know that if they kill the tax cuts at any point along the way, the tax cuts are dead and Democrats will go on a huge messaging offense to ensure Republicans get the blame."

UPDATE, 4:04 p.m.: The House GOP responds.

UPDATE, 6:11 p.m.: Nancy Pelosi confirms on the record that Dems plan to proceed with the vote.

