House Republicans could vote as soon as today on a spending plan that seeks to avoid a looming government shutdown by giving party members a chance to deny funds for President Barack Obama’s health-care law.
The measure is sure to be rejected by the Democratic-led Senate, yet represents an effort by House Speaker John Boehner and Majority Leader Eric Cantor to gain support for a spending bill to keep the government open. It’s the party’s first step in negotiations with the Senate and White House, and risks ending with a shutdown.
The Senate is almost certain to pass a temporary spending measure without the health-care language. That would leave Republican leaders -- who have said they want to avoid shuttering the government -- needing to round up votes from both parties for the measure without defunding Obama’s chief domestic policy achievement.
“There should be no conversation about shutting the government down. That’s not the goal here,” Boehner, an Ohio Republican, told reporters yesterday. “ There’s no interest on our part in shutting the government down.”
Boehner, of Ohio, failed to persuade his caucus to support a spending measure without ending funds for the health-care law.
House Republicans say the plan is meant to give Republicans Ted Cruz of Texas and Mike Lee of Utah, chief Senate critics of the law, an opening to defund it, while insulating House Republicans from blame.
Democratic Votes
“The Senate Republicans have certainly made that as a marker so we’re trying to provide them the opportunity to do what they are calling to do,” Representative Richard Nugent, a Florida Republican, said in an interview.
Republicans will seek the votes of Democrats for the plan that the Senate probably will send back to the House without the health-care provision, Nugent said.
“It will be up to House Democrats to chip in then,” he said.