Boehner: Fund Government, Defund ObamaCare

Says House will vote on it; debt ceiling being drawn into drama as well
By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 18, 2013 2:30 PM CDT
Boehner: Fund Government, Defund ObamaCare
Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, speaks with reporters following a strategy session at the Capitol, Sept. 18, 2013.   (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

House Republicans have decided to make their latest game of political chicken all about ObamaCare. In a move Tea Party activists have been clamoring for, John Boehner told his caucus today that they would pass a bill to keep the government funded—but that it would defund ObamaCare. Eric Cantor also revealed a plan to raise the debt ceiling for a year—provided health care reform is delayed just as long. "Every member in this room is for defunding ObamaCare," Boehner said at the closed-door meeting, according to the National Review. He said the fight was really in the Senate.

Cantor's debt ceiling legislation will include other demands, including mandating construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, Politico reports. But President Obama today reiterated that he refused to negotiate again about the debt ceiling, and urged Republicans to come up with solutions that "do not promise apocalypse every three months," the AP reports. Politico also points out that Senate Republicans are weary of the ObamaCare fight. Orrin Hatch said he backed gradually eliminating the law, "but to expect the government to shut down is not the way to do it." (More John Boehner stories.)

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