The fight: Tax cuts, jobless benefits and pipeline

AAA??Dec. 16, 2011?6:50 PM ET
The fight: Tax cuts, jobless benefits and pipeline
ALAN FRAMALAN FRAM, Associated Press
DAVID ESPODAVID ESPO, Associated Press??

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif., followed by House Assistant Minority Leader James Clyburn of S.C. and House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer of Md. arrive for a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Dec. 16, 2011, where she criticized Republicans as being responsible for a "do-nothing Congress" . (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif., followed by House Assistant Minority Leader James Clyburn of S.C. and House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer of Md. arrive for a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Dec. 16, 2011, where she criticized Republicans as being responsible for a "do-nothing Congress" . (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, followed by Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., strides into a GOP strategy session singing "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" on the morning after lawmakers from both political parties came together on an 11th-hour deal to keep the government from shutting down, Friday, Dec. 16, 2011, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

President Barack Obama delivers remarks at the 71st General Assembly of the Union for Reform Judaism, Friday, Dec. 16, 2011, in National Harbor, Md. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)

House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, briefs reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Dec. 16, 2011, after lawmakers from both political parties came together on an 11th-hour deal to keep the government from shutting down. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif. criticizes Republicans as being responsible for a "do-nothing Congress", Friday, Dec. 16, 2011, during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Senate officials say negotiators are close to a deal for a two-month extension of Social Security payroll tax cuts and jobless benefits for the long-term unemployed. Both are due to expire at the end of the year.

The same package is also expected to require the Obama administration to make a speedy decision on the fate of a proposed oil pipeline from Canada to Texas that promises thousands of jobs.

If nailed down, the deal would come up for a vote in the Senate as soon as Saturday.

Majority Republican leaders in the House were not involved in the negotiations.

The developments came after the White House backed away from a veto threat that centered on the pipeline.

Associated PressNews Topics: Legislature, Energy and utilities regulation, Unemployment insurance, Government and politics, Industry regulation, Government business and finance, Business, Government regulations, Employment figures, Labor economy, Economy, Leading economic indicators

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2011-12-16-Congress%20Rdp/id-a3d80d9d3a0f42f6a08a8b301eed3e71

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