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Congress Deadlocked over Major Legislation
With just days to go until Congress breaks for the holidays, the two parties remain divided over a number of must-pass measures.
President Obama has called on Congress to extend a payroll tax holiday that could mean an average of about $1,000 in take-home pay for families if it's not extended.
Also on the line are extended unemployment benefits for millions who have been out of work more than six months, a the so-called doc fix, which will prevent Medicare reimbursements for doctors from dropping drastically.
U.S. Speaker John Boeher said this week the House will vote on a bill that has bipartisan support, but passage in the Senate is uncertain. The bill would slash benefits for the long-term unemployed and force the Obama administration to act within 60 days on the Keystone XL pipeline, which would transport oil from Canada to refineries in the South.
Republicans generally support the bill, citing job creation, while many Democrats have environmental concerns. The Obama administration says it needs until 2013 to make a decision.
