TOPEKA (AP) -- Revenue estimates show that House Republicans' income tax plan would hike tax rates only for the lowest income earners in Kansas, which GOP leaders said Wednesday was an unforeseen consequence of a newly added amendment.

US President Barack Obama gets a hug from Tracy Cacho, of Washington, after he discussed the payroll tax cut extension in front of middle-class workers in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, DC yesterday.

“We need to be searching for long-term solutions,” said Assemblyman Jared Huffman shortly after introducing legislation last week that offers funding opportunities and other strategies to help prevent state parks from being closed.