Boehner: House Will Approve Payroll Tax Cut Bill

House Speaker John Boehner is predicting that the House will approve legislation that renews a payroll tax cut and curtails extra benefits for the long-term unemployed.

The Ohio Republican told reporters that he believes the legislation has a "good shot" at passing the Democratic-run Senate on Tuesday. He sidestepped a question about whether he rules out eventually agreeing to a compromise with that chamber.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has said the GOP-written House measure will go nowhere in that chamber, citing a provision all but forcing President Barack Obama to move ahead quickly with a controversial oil pipeline that would run from Canada to Texas.

Senate Democrats' bill pays its costs largely by boosting taxes on the wealthy. Republicans prefer freezing federal workers pay and other spending cuts.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)