MSNBC "Interview with House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer

MSNBC INTERVIEW WITH HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER STENY HOYER (D-MD)

MS. O'DONNELL: Joining me now, Democratic House Majority Leader Congressman Steny Hoyer of Maryland. Congressman, thank you so much for joining us.

REP. HOYER: Thank you, Norah.

MS. O'DONNELL: The Senate is expected to vote for this bill tonight. It then goes to the House on Friday. Can you assure people watching that this bill won't go down in flames like the one on Monday?

REP. HOYER: Well, Norah, I can't make that assurance. Obviously, two-thirds of the Democrats voted for this bill on Monday. It was the failure to get the 100-plus Republicans that were -- that we expected to vote for this proposal by their president, by the secretary of Treasury. So I can't assure you of that because I have not yet heard from the Republicans whether or not they have convinced a number of their members to support this package.

MS. O'DONNELL: Congressman, I think that's pretty stunning. I mean, if the Senate is moving forward on a bill where they've lumped on another $100 billion in tax extenders and tax breaks and other sweeteners, and you're telling me you're not sure that the House could even pass this on Friday?

REP. HOYER: Well, very frankly, Norah, I'm not pleased with what the Senate's done, as you may have heard.

MS. O'DONNELL: Yes.

REP. HOYER: I think putting the tax extender bill on this bill in effect puts the House in a position of take it or leave it on the Senate extenders bill, which has significant controversy in it. I'm for most of the provisions that are in there; as a matter of fact, the House has sent most of those provisions to the Senate, paid for them, and would have asked them -- asked the Senate to consider them individually. They chose not to do that in sending us as a package.

Not only are they sending it as a package, but they're putting it on the bill that I think is critically important for the House to pass and the Congress to pass and the president to sign to stabilize this economy to make sure that average working men and women in this country aren't hurt by this obviously deteriorating situation in our economy. So I think it's a very important bill to pass, but I can't assure you that the Republicans have the votes. That's what you asked me.

MS. O'DONNELL: Yeah.

REP. HOYER: We're working hard. We think this bill ought to pass. We think it ought to pass, as I said, because average Americans are going to be hurt if we don't stabilize the economy. In fact, they are being hurt. So I'm certainly hopeful that we will pass it on Friday, but --

MS. O'DONNELL: I mean, Congressman, I was struck by the -- Senator Harry Reid, as you know, after their luncheons on Tuesday they come out and address the cameras, and he said we're not trying to jam anybody. But I know -- and I think from what you just said -- think a lot of House members feel like they're being jammed on this, that this might be being shoved down their throats. The question is whether this actually gets more votes or they end up losing votes because of the additional what some are calling sweeteners, but other people may object to.

REP. HOYER: Well, I don't think the energy bill -- extenders bill was added as a sweetener. I think it may be a sweetener for some, and in particular I think Republicans are going to like the fact that tax extenders are being done without paying for them. We think that's bad policy, more debt. We don't -- I don't think that's good. But having said that, I think there are a number of Republicans who will think this is a better bill because of that. I think there are a lot of Republicans who aren't going to want to vote against the AMT, which is not paid for -- $62 billion in additional debt.

But I think that clearly the insurance being increased on deposits we think is good. I think the Republicans think that's good. So that is something that I think will garner some support on both sides of the aisle. But you asked me can I assure you of that. Until I know whether the Republicans, who overwhelmingly opposed the president's plan, have decided that this is a bill which they can support, I can't assure you that it will be passed. What I can assure --

MS. O'DONNELL: So just quickly --

REP. HOYER: What I can assure you --

MS. O'DONNELL: Just quickly, you're not telling me you got any more Democrats, then, at this hour.

REP. HOYER: We don't have any more Democrats at this hour. That does not mean we won't get more.

And I can assure you of this, Norah: we are working to see that this bill becomes law.

MS. O'DONNELL: All right. Congressman Steny Hoyer, we greatly appreciate your time, and you're welcome back anytime. Thank you so much.

REP. HOYER: Thanks a lot.

END.

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