The U.S. House of Representatives lurched toward a showdown over an expiring payroll tax cut, escalating a legislative fight that may result in smaller paychecks in January for 160 million workers.

The Republican-controlled House is scheduled to vote today to reject a bipartisan Senate plan that would extend the expiring tax cut and other provisions for two months. House leaders said the stopgap measure was unworkable and doesn't provide enough certainty for businesses. Democrats said Republicans were bowing to Tea Party resistance.

"Our members do not want to just punt and do a two-month short-term fix where we just have to do this again," House Speaker John Boehner said yesterday as he called for negotiations between the House and Senate.