Democratic Caucus Adopts Non-binding DeFazio Plan to Keep Tax Bill Off Floor

Rep. Peter DeFazio (AP File Photo/Lauren Victoria Burke)

Fox has learned that the House Democratic Caucus has just approved a non-binding effort by Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) which would keep President Obama's controversial tax cut plan off the House floor unless a majority of the Democratic Caucus favors the measure.

DeFazio has been seeking signatures to his letter, asking House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to refrain from putting the issue on the House floor unless most House Democrats favored the idea.

It is important to note that this vote in the caucus is not enforceable. And Pelosi said this morning that the House would not touch the bill until the Senate completed action on it first.

A Senior House Democratic Leadership aide tells Fox, "This vote shows how much the White House screwed this up."

And Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) said that when VP Biden was up on the Hill yesterday he told House Dems they could "take it or leave it." Doggett relayed that the caucus said leave it, and he's confident that Pelosi will follow the members.

Doggett actually made the motion to adopt DeFazio's letter, and this is the text of the resolution that was adopted:

"The Democratic Caucus resolves that in its current form the tax package should not come to the House floor for consideration."

Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-NV) voted against the resolution. She says her constituents need the unemployment beneifits.

But Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY) who voted for the resolution says the president failed to allow the House Democrats to have a seat at the table and this was simply a reflection of the House reflecting its will.