House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi is calling on Republicans to permit a vote on President Barack Obama's plan to let tax cuts expire at upper incomes, while keeping them in place for the middle class.

In remarks on the floor of the House, she predicted the legislation would pass.

Rebutting remarks that Speaker John Boehner made moments earlier, the California Democrat said Obama and Democrats have in fact identified spending cuts they can support as part of a balanced plan to avert a "fiscal cliff" that threatens to send the economy into another recession.

Without action by Congress, tax cuts will expire on all income levels and government funding for numerous programs will be cut at the end of the year.