WASHINGTON—In response to reports that Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives plan to defeat an extension of the payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits, Congressman Jim Himes (CT-4) released the following statement:

"After calling the bipartisan Senate compromise on extending the payroll tax cut and jobless benefits a good deal on Saturday, Speaker Boehner is now bowing to the ideological demands of the extreme Tea Party members of his party. We need to pass the bipartisan compromise the Speaker said he would support, or taxes will go up and unemployment assistance will disappear for millions of Americans as soon as the ball drops in Times Square on New Year’s Eve."