House unanimously rejects motion to adjourn

After that, Jackson called for a roll call vote, and indicated that his motion is part of a Democratic protest against the GOP’s plans for extending the payroll tax holiday and unemployment insurance. Jackson said the House should not adjourn until Congress deals with the unemployment situation.

While Democrats may have been trying to create the impression that Republicans were looking to adjourn, every Republican voted along with Democrats against the motion, and members voted 0-355 against adjourning.

{mosads}The protest was symbolic in nature only, as House Republicans have made it clear that they will be in all week, and potentially during the weekend and beyond, in order to complete work on the payroll tax bill. Members are expected to consider a rule for the payroll tax bill on Tuesday.

That bill, H.R. 3630, extends both programs, but has several other components and would pay for these extensions by reforming the programs and cutting back discretionary spending over the next decade. Democrats have said they prefer paying for these extensions by raising taxes on the wealthy.

Just before the vote on the motion to adjourn, the House approved two bills to rename post offices.

By a 351-0 vote, the House approved H.R. 3220, renaming a post office in Minnesota after Master Sergeant Daniel L. Fedder. And by a 353-1 vote, the House approved H.R. 2158, renaming a post office in California after Wayne Grisham.

Only Rep. Scott Rigell (R-Va.) voted against the latter bill.

Despite the outcome of the vote on the motion to adjourn, the House has no further plans to vote on Monday. Instead, members began debated another bill to name a post office, H.R. 1274, then moved to general speeches.