From HuffPost Hill:
Late, late tonight (tomorrow?), the House will take up an amendment to slightly reduce the estate tax portion of the Obama-GOP tax cut deal. It could pass, depending on how hard leadership whips Blue Dogs. If it does, Republicans say the deal is broken and they'll bolt on final passage, meaning Democrats would need to pass it on their own. If they do, the game of chicken heads back to the Senate. If they don't, who knows what happens next. After several hours of recess, Rules Committee Chair Louise Slaughter said members will be allowed to vote against the underlying bill even if an amendment to the bill's estate-tax provision is approved. Previously, if the estate-tax amendment carried, the entire bill would have gone to the Senate immediately without another vote on final approval. Several Democrats who supported the amendment but not the overall package had objected to being forced to vote the same way on both items.
"I think the issue will be voted on tonight and I think hopefully before midnight," John Larson tells HuffPost Hill. "The question is whether it will pass amended or unamended -- that will be a very close vote."
