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A compromise deal to stop broad spending cuts and tax increases is headed to the House of Representatives, after receiving strong support in the Senate. "I really don't anticipate too much of a problem" passing the bill, Republican Rep. Tom Cole, the deputy majority whip, tells NPR's Steve Inskeep.
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The compromise deal, which was approved by the Senate earlier Tuesday, stops large tax increases for 99 percent of Americans and delays massive spending cuts for two months. The bill now goes to President Obama, who is expected to sign it into law.
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Michigan's Lake Superior State University issued its annual list of annoying expressions to banish. The list includes: trending, bucket list, kick the can down the road and spoiler alert. The top one to ban: fiscal cliff.
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The Senate passed a measure early into the New Year, and now it's up to the house to vote on the deal, which will most likely happen by Wednesday. The measure cleared the Senate on an 89-8 vote, hours after V.P. Joe Biden and Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell sealed a deal.
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Vice President Joe Biden was meeting late Monday with Senate Democrats to brief them on a proposed deal to stop the sharp tax increases and spending cuts. The Senate may vote on the deal Monday night, but there will be no vote in the House until Tuesday at the earliest.
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For perspective on why Democrats and Republicans in Washington have not been able to work together to avoid a countdown to the fiscal cliff, All Things Considered host Robert Siegel talks with Norm Ornstein, resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. Ornstein says a big part of the problem is how Republicans in Congress have behaved like a parliamentary minority.
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Talks continue on a deal to avoid automatic spending cuts and tax increases. But with just hours to go before they kick in, an agreement remained elusive.
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Both the House and the Senate were in session Sunday evening, but a bipartisan push by Senate leaders fell short. Monday is the last day to avoid the tax hikes and spending cuts, though Congress may still reach a deal over the next few days.
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Wonks from across the political spectrum look at the upside of the cliff.
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Even if the Senate were to approve a compromise package and a majority of the House (Republicans and Democrats) were prepared to accept it, the deal likely won't even be brought to the House floor for debate and a vote. How can this be? Because of the de facto "majority of the majority" rule.