Obama Pushes Boehner to Pass Tax Cut Extension

Stepping up the pressure to reach a deal, President Barack Obama has promised House Speaker John Boehner he is committed to immediately starting work on a full-year extension of payroll tax cuts if the House first passes a short-term compromise.

Boehner called Obama Thursday morning, their second conversation in as many days. The White House said Obama reiterated to the speaker that the only viable option for preventing the tax cuts from expiring at the end of the year is for the House to pass a two-month extension. That measure was already approved overwhelmingly last week by the Senate, which then swiftly left Washington for the holidays.