obama press conference july 11
President Barack Obama is expected in the White House briefing room in minutes to make a statement on the stalled negotiations to extend the payroll tax cut.

According to the White House House, Obama will urge "Republicans in Congress to join Democrats to ensure taxes don't go up on middle class families next year."

Congressional Republicans and Democrats say the question is not whether to maintain the $1,000 tax cut for the average American family — but how to pay for it.

Democrats are calling for a temporary surtax on incomes over $1 million dollars to pay for the proposal, in addition to means-testing federal benefits for the wealthy. The proposal is a step back from the original proposal rejected by the Senate last week, which would have imposed a permanent 3.25 percent surtax on such high incomes.

Republicans are behind a larger effort to means-test federal programs, but are opposed to the surtax. They also propose paying for the extension by imposing a three year federal pay freeze.

Expect Obama to give us the first taste of his new "fairness" message, which he will expand on in a speech in Osawatomie, Kansas tomorrow.

Watch Obama's statement below: