WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama is turning to the American people for help in pushing Congress to extend a payroll tax cut due to expire at the end of February.

The White House says the average family would lose about $40 per paycheck if the cuts are not renewed. Obama will make a statement Tuesday in an appearance at the White House Tuesday with people who wrote in on social media sites about what $40 means to them.

The White House held a similar event in December as Congress struggled to prevent the cuts from expiring. Lawmakers eventually reached a short-term deal to extend the tax cuts for two months.

Negotiations on another extension have faltered, though House Republicans say they are willing to extend cuts through the end of the year.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)