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House Speaker John Boehner says House Republicans are united against a Senate bill to extend the payroll tax holiday but that may be the only way the majority in Congress's lower chamber is unified.

At a Monday morning news conference, Boehner said House Republicans would reject the Senate's two-month payroll tax cut extension in preference for a year-long extension. What's strange about Boehner's position is that during a private conference call with Republicans on Saturday, the House Speaker praised the Senate's bill, which includes the fast-tracking of the Keystone XL oil pipeline, a key priority for Republicans. Beyond that, Boehner said the House should pass the bill, according to GOP's sources speaking with The Hill and Politico. Why the sudden change of heart between now and Saturday?

His GOP colleagues revolted against him. "His members angrily shot [the Senate bill] down," reports John Bresnahan. "They raged against the Senate for failing to take up a yearlong extension and vowed to vote against the measure on the House floor." As a result, the future of the payroll tax extension is in limbo, including other GOP priorities such as reimbursements to doctors who treat Medicare patients, a key Republican constituency. Now, in the run-up to today's 6:30 p.m. vote on the Senate bill, Boehner is in the unusual position of opposing a bill supported by Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.