Florida Republicans are turning up the heat on Democrats, including Sen. Bill Nelson, as yet another threatened federal government shutdown looms Friday.

The GOP-controlled House and Democratic-run Senate are at loggerheads over a House-passed bill that would extend the payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits, as well as speed up permitting for the Keystone XL pipeline.

President Barack Obama has vowed to veto any measure containing the Keystone provision, and, in a bid to kill the GOP plan, Democrats are stalling a spending bill that will keep the government funded past Friday.

But Senate Democrats blinked late Wednesday, saying they were dropping their demand for a surtax on millionaires to fund an extension of a payroll tax cut. Details of the still-developing plan were not immediately available.

Republicans, meantime, say they've compromised enough.

"The only obstacle -- and this is becoming a familiar refrain to those who have been watching jobs bill after jobs bill pass the House but stall in the Senate -- is [Senate Majority Leader] Harry Reid," said Michael Mahaffey, spokesman for Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Tequesta.

"Apparently, Sen. Reid and President Obama are so opposed to 20,000 new jobs that they’re willing to risk a government shutdown in order to get the Keystone Pipeline stripped from a jobs bill that has nothing to do with the bill to keep the government open."

Rep. Steve Southerland, R-Tallahassee, said the sidetracking of Keystone has already cost his district "hundreds" of manufacturing and engineering.

"Main Street America expects action from its representatives. The House has passed 27 growth bills that have withered on the vine in the Senate. If Obama is consistent in wanting us to hurry, the Senate should take up this legislation," Southerland said.

Rep. David Rivera, R-Miami, added:

“There is no reason for a government shutdown if Senate Democrats and the White House stop playing politics with America’s economy.

"Yesterday, the House passed a bill that extends the payroll tax cut, extends and reforms unemployment insurance and protects seniors without imposing burdensome tax hikes on America’s job creators.

"Senate Democrats and the White House need to take action and support these sensible, bipartisan measures that will help struggling American families and businesses, and prevent a government shutdown," Rivera said.

Lenny Curry, chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, singled out Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson, who is up for re-election in 2012.

"The president is playing class warfare, putting politics first. It looks like Reid and Nelson will do everything they can to keep playing these games," Curry said.

Nelson's office did not respond to a request for comment from Sunshine State News. Neither did Democratic Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fort Lauderdale, or Corrine Brown, D-Jacksonville.

I am sorry I have not had a chance to get back to you. My boss has been very much tied up all day – is this something you will be writing about again tomorrow? I will have a better shot at getting him in touch with you.

Ashley Mushnick, communications director for Rep. Ted Deutch, D-Boca Raton, deferred comment until Thursday.

White House spokesman Jay Carney, focusing on payroll tax relief, said in a statement:

"This is not a time for Washington Republicans to score political points against the president. This Congress needs to do its job and stop the tax hike that’s scheduled to affect 160 million Americans in 18 days."

Rep. Bill Posey, R-Rockledge, said, “The biggest obstacle right now is that the administration and Sen. Reid want to simply increase the deficit by $150 billion and stick our children and grandchildren with the bill.