WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. House of Representatives is likely to vote this week on what is being called “Plan B” on avoiding the “fiscal cliff.”

The Republican-sponsored legislation aims to extend current low tax rates for most families. Without such action by Congress, across-the-board income tax rates will rise on January 1.

WASHINGTON, Dec 18 (Reuters) – U.S.-based global companies
may get a boost in their effort to revamp corporate taxation if
the White House and Republican lawmakers can negotiate a deal to
avoid the year-end “fiscal cliff.”

With President Barack Obama and Republican John Boehner
narrowing their differences in the budget talks, Republicans
hope a deal could open the door for steps next year to trim
corporate tax rates and to move to a system where companies do
not pay taxes on profits earned overseas, as they do now.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Republicans tried to squeeze more concessions from the White House on taxes on Tuesday in political maneuvering for a deal that would prevent the U.S. economy from going over the “fiscal cliff” in the new year.

With an agreement between President Barack Obama and House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner looking more likely, the Republicans pressed for Democrats to agree to raising taxes only on people making incomes exceeding $1 million a year.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Democratic Senator Daniel Inouye of Hawaii, a decorated veteran of World War Two and one of the longest-serving members of Congress, died on Monday at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. He was 88.

Inouye, who was chairman of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, died of complications from a respiratory illness, according to a statement issued by his office, which said “Aloha” was the last word he spoke.

WASHINGTON, Dec 14 (Reuters) – The tax break that U.S.
states, cities and counties get on the bonds they issue is in
growing jeopardy now that Republicans, in addition to Democrats,
are considering limits on the exemption.

As part of the “fiscal cliff” negotiations to raise more
federal government tax revenue, Republican lawmakers have joined
Democrats in reevaluating the costly tax break, said Republican
congressional aides and lobbyists.

WASHINGTON, Dec 14 (Reuters) – The tax break that U.S.
states, cities and counties get on the bonds they issue is in
growing jeopardy now that Republicans, in addition to Democrats,
are considering limits on the exemption.

As part of the “fiscal cliff” negotiations to raise more
federal government tax revenue, Republican lawmakers have joined
Democrats in reevaluating the costly tax break, said Republican
congressional aides and lobbyists.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Democratic lawmakers on Thursday lauded an updated congressional report that suggested there is no conclusive link between higher taxes on the affluent and economic growth, challenging a key tenet of Republican ideology amid the fiscal cliff debate.

The nonpartisan Congressional Research Service pulled a report on the issue from circulation last month, after Republican lawmakers, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, complained about its methodology and disputed its conclusion.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Sharp differences remained on Wednesday between congressional Republicans and the White House in talks to avert the “fiscal cliff” of steep tax hikes and budget cuts, and negotiators warned the showdown could drag on past Christmas.

A Wall Street Journal-NBC News poll released late on Wednesday, however, held the potential to shake up the stalemate. Three-quarters of those surveyed, including 61 percent of Republicans, said they would accept raising taxes on the wealthy to avoid the so-called cliff, as Democratic President Barack Obama is demanding.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – In a turnabout from a year ago, some Republican lawmakers say they are open to backing President Barack Obama’s proposal to extend the payroll tax cut for a third year, possibly bringing the sides closer to a deal to avoid the fiscal cliff.

Last year Speaker John Boehner, the leading Republican in the House of Representatives, suffered through a revolt by ultra-conservative Republicans opposing the cut. They argued cutting the payroll tax would add to the deficit and hurt the retirement program it helps finance.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Sharp differences remained on Wednesday between congressional Republicans and the White House in talks to avert the “fiscal cliff” of steep tax hikes and budget cuts, and negotiators warned the showdown could drag on past Christmas.

Both sides refused to give any ground in public, one day after what U.S. House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner described as a “frank” conversation with President Barack Obama about the remaining hurdles to a deal