When asked whether the House would vote on the bill after it passes the Senate as expected, Van Hollen still left the door open for lawmakers to press changes by saying the “form it takes is yet to be decided.”

“There will be an opportunity for the House to work its will,” he said, adding he was “confident” that come January there would be no tax hikes for any income levels.

“We’re not going to hold this thing up at the end of the day,” said Van Hollen, who will be the ranking Democrat on the Budget Committee in the next Congress, as he steered back to the “essential” question of the estate tax. “We’re going to make sure that question is put to the test.”