After the yes of the Senate, also the US House of Representatives approved in extremis the agreement that avoids the "fiscal cliff". There were 257 votes in favor, 164 against.
In particular, the text provides for an increase in the tax burden for the wealthiest taxpayers: the tax rate on incomes above 450 dollars a year will go from the current 35% to 39,5%.
The President of the United States, Barack Obama, welcomed the vote, underlining that he had fulfilled his campaign promise for a fairer tax system.
On the other hand, the President has warned Republicans that he is unwilling to negotiate terms for an increase in the debt ceiling: “We will discuss many issues, but there will be no debate with this Congress on having to pay what is pre-established by the laws it has passed – said Obama -. I repeat, we cannot fail to pay the bill that has already been presented to us. If Congress refuses to allow the US government to pay this bill on time, the consequences for the entire global economy will be catastrophic, far worse than the fiscal cliff."
Obama then recalled how a similar situation in 2011 led to a downgrade of US debt by the rating agency Standard & Poor's.
Meanwhile, the Asian stock exchanges they reacted positively to the agreement: in Hong Kong the Hang Seng index, which had opened up 1%, reached 1,9% in the middle of the session; Seoul (+1,4%) and Sydney (+1,26%) also rose, while Tokyo and Shanghai are closed for the holidays.
