Congressman Bill Owens, D-Plattsburgh, voted against the Republican-sponsored payroll tax extension bill Tuesday, but his GOP challenger endorsed the bill.

The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 3630 -- the “Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2011” – by a 234-103 vote, primarily due to GOP support.

Matt Doheny, the lawyer and businessman from Watertown who ran unsuccessfully for the seat in 2010, said he supports the measure, the main focus of which is extending a payroll tax cut.

Most Democrats opposed, including current 23rd District Representative Bill Owens.

But the majority leader in the Senate, controlled by Democrats, said the bill would be “dead on arrival” in that body, and President Obama said he would veto the House version of the tax-cut-extension bill if it reached his desk, largely because of add-ons to it such as the reduction in unemployment benefits and the provision that would require a 60-day deadline to permit the pipeline.

“This bill allows American workers to keep more of their hard-earned money while putting in place reforms that cut spending and continue to shrink the size of government,” said Doheny. “It also promises thousands of new blue-collar jobs through its support of both the Keystone Pipeline proposal and a common-sense boiler regulation that would reduce compliance costs for businesses.”

But Doheny said, “This bill is one part of a pro-growth agenda that will help the nation move towards a more stable economy and a lower unemployment rate.”