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  1. erupt
    start suddenly
    But House Republicans quickly erupted in frustration at the Senate measure, which drops changes to the unemployment insurance system pressed by conservatives, along with cuts to President Barack Obama's health care law.
  2. unconscionable
    greatly exceeding bounds of reason or moderation
    "With millions of Americans struggling to make ends meet, it would be unconscionable for Speaker (John) Boehner to block a bipartisan agreement that would protect middle-class families from the thousand-dollar tax increase looming on January 1st,"
  3. impasse
    a situation in which no progress can be made
    With their cherished holiday recess being shortened each day the battle rages, each side the blamed the other for the impasse.
  4. expire
    lose validity
    WASHINGTON—With neither side showing signs of yielding, a bitterly divided House debated a Republican effort Tuesday to force the Senate to negotiate a payroll tax cut and jobless benefits that expire on New Year's Day.
  5. negotiate
    discuss the terms of an arrangement
    WASHINGTON—With neither side showing signs of yielding, a bitterly divided House debated a Republican effort Tuesday to force the Senate to negotiate a payroll tax cut and jobless benefits that expire on New Year's Day.
  6. loom
    a textile machine for weaving yarn into a textile
    "With millions of Americans struggling to make ends meet, it would be unconscionable for Speaker (John) Boehner to block a bipartisan agreement that would protect middle-class families from the thousand-dollar tax increase looming on January 1st,"
  7. percentage
    a proportion in relation to a whole
    The Senate's short-term, lowest-common-denominator approach would renew a 2 percentage point cut in the Social Security payroll tax, plus jobless benefits for the long-term unemployed, and would prevent a huge cut in Medicare payments to doctors.
  8. approve
    judge to be right or commendable; think well of
    The Democratic-led Senate left town on Saturday after approving its version of the bill.
  9. benefit
    something that aids or promotes well-being
    WASHINGTON—With neither side showing signs of yielding, a bitterly divided House debated a Republican effort Tuesday to force the Senate to negotiate a payroll tax cut and jobless benefits that expire on New Year's Day.
  10. cherish
    be fond of
    With their cherished holiday recess being shortened each day the battle rages, each side the blamed the other for the impasse.
  11. rhetoric
    study of the technique for using language effectively
    "If you say you want to do this for a year, put your vote where your rhetoric is," said Rep.
  12. elect
    choose by a vote for an office or membership
    Related

    Scott Brown blasts House GOP over payroll tax cut
    Comparison of House, Senate payroll tax cut bills
    House, Senate at odds over payroll tax cut

    Raise your voiceRaise Your Voice
    Click to write to your elected representatives ab
  13. reject
    refuse to accept or acknowledge
    The GOP-run House planned a vote on rejecting a two-month extension of the tax cut and unemployment benefits that the Senate passed last weekend with a bipartisan landslide.
  14. govern
    exercise authority over, as of nations
    "Show us that you can govern," said Rep.
  15. schedule
    a list of times at which things are planned to occur
    The Senate isn't scheduled to resume legislative work until Jan. 23.
  16. resume
    take up or begin anew
    The Senate isn't scheduled to resume legislative work until Jan. 23.
  17. adult
    a fully developed person from maturity onward
    Jim McGovern, D-Mass. "This is time for an adult moment.
  18. odds
    the likelihood of a thing occurring
    Related

    Scott Brown blasts House GOP over payroll tax cut
    Comparison of House, Senate payroll tax cut bills
    House, Senate at odds over payroll tax cut

    Raise your voiceRaise Your Voice
    Click to write to your elected representatives ab
  19. scheduled
    planned for some certain time or times
    The Senate isn't scheduled to resume legislative work until Jan. 23.
  20. divide
    a serious disagreement between two groups of people
    WASHINGTON—With neither side showing signs of yielding, a bitterly divided House debated a Republican effort Tuesday to force the Senate to negotiate a payroll tax cut and jobless benefits that expire on New Year's Day.
  21. blast
    a sudden, loud sound
    Related

    Scott Brown blasts House GOP over payroll tax cut
    Comparison of House, Senate payroll tax cut bills
    House, Senate at odds over payroll tax cut

    Raise your voiceRaise Your Voice
    Click to write to your elected representatives ab
  22. alternative
    one of a number of things from which only one can be chosen
    After overwhelmingly passing a two-month extension Saturday, senators raced for the exits in the belief that the House would see no alternative but to go along.
  23. insist
    be emphatic or resolute and refuse to budge
    Both sides insist they want to extend the provisions before a Dec. 31 deadline, but that will prove difficult.
  24. typical
    exhibiting the qualities that identify a group or kind
    The 2 percentage point tax cut provides about a $1,000 annual tax cut for a typical earner making about $50,000 a year.Continued...
  25. legislative
    relating to a lawmaking assembly
    The Senate isn't scheduled to resume legislative work until Jan. 23.
  26. plus
    on the positive side or higher end of a scale
    The Senate's short-term, lowest-common-denominator approach would renew a 2 percentage point cut in the Social Security payroll tax, plus jobless benefits for the long-term unemployed, and would prevent a huge cut in Medicare payments to doctors.
  27. majority
    the main part
    Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has said he won't renew bargaining until the House approves the Senate's short-term measure.
  28. extend
    stretch out over a distance, space, time, or scope
    Both sides insist they want to extend the provisions before a Dec. 31 deadline, but that will prove difficult.
  29. harry
    make a pillaging or destructive raid on, as in wartimes
    Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has said he won't renew bargaining until the House approves the Senate's short-term measure.
  30. legislation
    the act of making or enacting laws
    They were also ready to vote to formally request the Senate to begin fresh talks on the legislation.
  31. measure
    determine the dimensions of something or somebody
    Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has said he won't renew bargaining until the House approves the Senate's short-term measure.
  32. wing
    a movable organ for flying (one of a pair)
    It's time to show your tea party wing that the American people come first."
  33. debate
    a discussion with reasons for and against some proposal
    WASHINGTON—With neither side showing signs of yielding, a bitterly divided House debated a Republican effort Tuesday to force the Senate to negotiate a payroll tax cut and jobless benefits that expire on New Year's Day.
  34. yield
    give or supply
    WASHINGTON—With neither side showing signs of yielding, a bitterly divided House debated a Republican effort Tuesday to force the Senate to negotiate a payroll tax cut and jobless benefits that expire on New Year's Day.
  35. version
    something a little different from others of the same type
    The Democratic-led Senate left town on Saturday after approving its version of the bill.
  36. protect
    shield from danger, injury, destruction, or damage
    "With millions of Americans struggling to make ends meet, it would be unconscionable for Speaker (John) Boehner to block a bipartisan agreement that would protect middle-class families from the thousand-dollar tax increase looming on January 1st,"
  37. blame
    an accusation that one is responsible for some misdeed
    With their cherished holiday recess being shortened each day the battle rages, each side the blamed the other for the impasse.
  38. annual
    occurring every year
    The 2 percentage point tax cut provides about a $1,000 annual tax cut for a typical earner making about $50,000 a year.Continued...
  39. provide
    give something useful or necessary to
    The 2 percentage point tax cut provides about a $1,000 annual tax cut for a typical earner making about $50,000 a year.Continued...
  40. request
    express the need or desire for; ask for
    They were also ready to vote to formally request the Senate to begin fresh talks on the legislation.
  41. raise
    move upwards
    Related

    Scott Brown blasts House GOP over payroll tax cut
    Comparison of House, Senate payroll tax cut bills
    House, Senate at odds over payroll tax cut

    Raise your voiceRaise Your Voice
    Click to write to your elected representatives ab
  42. approach
    move towards
    The Senate's short-term, lowest-common-denominator approach would renew a 2 percentage point cut in the Social Security payroll tax, plus jobless benefits for the long-term unemployed, and would prevent a huge cut in Medicare payments to doctors.
  43. struggle
    strenuous effort
    "With millions of Americans struggling to make ends meet, it would be unconscionable for Speaker (John) Boehner to block a bipartisan agreement that would protect middle-class families from the thousand-dollar tax increase looming on January 1st,"
  44. issue
    some situation or event that is thought about
    Related

    Scott Brown blasts House GOP over payroll tax cut
    Comparison of House, Senate payroll tax cut bills
    House, Senate at odds over payroll tax cut

    Raise your voiceRaise Your Voice
    Click to write to your elected representatives about the
  45. security
    the state of being free from danger or injury
    The Senate's short-term, lowest-common-denominator approach would renew a 2 percentage point cut in the Social Security payroll tax, plus jobless benefits for the long-term unemployed, and would prevent a huge cut in Medicare payments to doctors.
  46. increase
    a process of becoming larger or longer or more numerous
    "With millions of Americans struggling to make ends meet, it would be unconscionable for Speaker (John) Boehner to block a bipartisan agreement that would protect middle-class families from the thousand-dollar tax increase looming on January 1st,"
  47. fresh
    recently made, produced, or harvested
    They were also ready to vote to formally request the Senate to begin fresh talks on the legislation.
  48. support
    the act of bearing the weight of or strengthening
    Without an agreement, payroll taxes paid by 160 million workers and jobless benefits that support millions of the long-term unemployed will expire Jan. 1.
  49. lead
    take somebody somewhere
    The Democratic-led Senate left town on Saturday after approving its version of the bill.
  50. moment
    an indefinitely short time
    Jim McGovern, D-Mass. "This is time for an adult moment.
Created on Tue Dec 20 11:07:30 EST 2011 (updated Tue Dec 20 11:07:39 EST 2011)

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