衆議院延期稅案表決，財政不確定性增加大綱
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.美國國會衆議院共和黨領袖貝納議長說，現在取決於奧巴馬總統是否與參議院領袖展開合作，研究避免年底出現財政懸崖危機的計劃。分析人士說，財政懸崖有可能讓美國經濟陷入衰退。
星期四晚間，在衆議院共和黨領導人突然推遲就議長貝納提出的稅收案進行的表決後不久，貝納議長髮表聲明。
按照貝納的方案，收入100萬美元以上的家庭稅率將提高。貝納說，他沒有得到足夠的支持以通過這一方案。而早些時候他曾預計方案能夠得到通過。
投票表決主要具有的是象徵意義。民主黨主控的參議院領導人說，貝納的方案沒有任何可能性能夠在參議院過關。
而奧巴馬總統則誓言，即使參衆兩院均通過貝納的方案，他也將否決此方案。奧巴馬希望，減稅只適用於家庭收入達40萬美元以下的人。
參議院的民主黨人已經通過一項議案，將收入高於25萬美元的家庭稅率提高。他們表示，這是他們希望衆議院議長貝納拿出的方案。
國會議員們將於12月25日開始聖誕節休假。直到他們歸來之前，衆議院不大可能採取任何其他行動。
本星期早些時候，奧巴馬總統曾說，他和貝納已經相對接近達成協議。如果雙方無法達成妥協，美國在1月1日就要跌入所謂“財政懸崖”，也就是自動削減5000億美元的政府開支，並使幾乎所有工作的美國人都要多繳稅。
