MSNBC "The Daily Rundown" - Transcript

Interview

Maryland Congressman Chris Van Hollen, Ranking Member of the House Budget Committee, today appeared on MSNBC's Daily Rundown to discuss Democrats' efforts to extend the payroll tax cut for 160 million working Americans before it expires at the end of this year.

CHUCK TODD, MSNBC: Maryland Democratic Congressman Chris Van Hollen joins me now. If this is the price for getting the payroll tax holiday extension and unemployment benefits extension, this Keystone Pipeline which does have opposition in your party but also some support? Is that too high a price?

REP. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN: Well, Chuck, let's remember where the Republicans were a week ago. First they were totally against the payroll tax cut. Even though they pushed really hard for tax breaks for the folks at the top, they were willing, for several weeks now, to say "We're going to increase taxes on 160 million Americans." Now after the President made very clear that he would not take any kind of bill that attached extraneous issues, the Republicans decide to put that on anyway. What they are trying to do what they wanted all along, which was to block the payroll tax cut from happening. They know the President drew the line on this is why. He said let's deal with an issue cleanly. Apparently you say they are calling his bluff but the only people getting hurt here are 160 million Americans who won't see a payroll tax cut.

TODD: Do you believe Keystone provision is a poison pill?

VAN HOLLEN: The President has been clear.

TODD: He did not directly issue a veto threat. He was careful. Said he didn't want it, wouldn't support it but very careful. And then today we didn't hear a reiteration of the veto if it was truly a veto threat. And frankly, that does mean something, does it not?

VAN HOLLEN: Well, I think the administration statements have been very clear, that he doesn't want any extraneous provisions tied to a clean tax cut for 160 million Americans. And again, we know what the Republican plan was just a few weeks ago. It was to oppose the tax cut. They've just found another way to try to accomplish that purpose by slowing this down. I predict at the end of the day they'll remove this provision in the Senate and then the House Republicans will have to face a very clear up or down choice on this.

TODD: All right, at this point though, do you feel as if you've won the political argument here as you note? The language has changed but it does seem there's bipartisan agreement on unemployment insurance benefits and extending that and the payroll tax holiday.

VAN HOLLEN: Chuck, I am glad that the Republicans are now saying they are for extending the payroll tax cut and that they are for extending unemployment compensation. It would be a little more sincere if they decided to not attach these other items to these provisions. and again, given where they were a few weeks ago on this, you have to ask yourself whether this is just a way to put these things at risk, to try to prevent them from in fact happening given what the President has said. I hope that's not the case and I hope at the end of the day we'll be able to provide that tax cut for 160 million Americans.

TODD: But it's fair to say you'll vote no on this version of the House bill that probably does pass and get sent to the Senate?

VAN HOLLEN: That's right. I agree with the President. We should deal with this up or down vote. One of things I think the American people don't like about the Congress is this effort to try to attach all of these Christmas tree ornaments. Let's address each of issues on their merits one at a time. I would have hoped that our Republican colleagues would have seen the merit in extending this payroll tax holiday to 160 million. We know they've been fighting hard to provide tax breaks, permanent tax breaks for the very wealthy. They opposed efforts to try to pay for this by asking millionaires to pay a little bit more on the amount they earn over a million dollars. So they fought really hard there. But I'd like to see them fight just as hard to have a clean up or down vote on unemployment compensation and the payroll tax cut.

TODD: Will you support paying for this extension by any other way that doesn't include some sort of tax increase on the wealthiest?

VAN HOLLEN: Well, I think that we should continue to fight on that issue. Now, as you know, the Senate Democrats have included some other what we call pay-fors, provisions to pay for this, including increasing so-called guarantee fees for Fannie and Freddie, I think there are additional things we can do. But I still think we should point out to people, that whenever it comes to asking folks at the top, the millionaires, to pitch in more, Republicans double down in their opposition even as they drag their feet on providing this payroll tax cut to every working American, 160 million Americans. Look, I hope our Senate Democratic colleagues will keep fighting on that issue, even as we look for ways for reasonable compromise. But what the Republicans are doing here in the House is simply, as you said, calling the President's bluff. Except for I don't think he's bluffing. He wants a clean up or down vote for the American people.

TODD: Okay. Congressman Chris Van Hollen, always nice to talk with you.

VAN HOLLEN: Good to be with you.

Source