Powerless to Change Tax Credit, House Democrats Turn to Protest

Democratic lawmakers slowed business in the House to a crawl today, conducting an hour or two of obstruction to protest the refusal of House Republican leaders to expand the child tax credit for low-income families.

Using one of the few tools available to members of the minority party, Democrats repeatedly forced the House to stop debate and vote on procedural motions they knew would not pass, like immediate adjournment. House Democrats said they also planned to force a vote every half hour on Thursday to make the same point.

"Democrats are in the heat of battle on the floor of the House using every weapon in our arsenal to disrupt the schedule and to force a vote on the child tax credit," the party's House leader, Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, said.