WASHINGTON — The Republican-controlled House voted Friday to de-fund ObamaCare, setting up a showdown with the White House that could partially shut down the government on Sept. 30.
The House passed by 230-189 a bill that extended the nation’s spending authority past Oct. 1 — but also wiped out the signature health-care plan that President Obama has promised to preserve at all costs.
“The American people don’t want the government shut down, and they don’t want ObamaCare,” declared House Speaker John Boehner as members of his rank and file cheered at a celebratory rally in the Capitol.
Obama charged House Republicans were “holding the whole country hostage.”
“We’re not a deadbeat nation. We don’t run out on our tab,” he told auto workers at a Ford plant in Kansas City, Mo.
The president accused his GOP foes of “trying to mess with me” by jamming in the ObamaCare repeal as part of the spending extension.
“If Congress doesn’t pass a budget in 10 days, a week from Monday, the government will shut down,” he warned.
House Republicans are expected to vote next week to avert the crisis by raising the debt limit. But they’ve promised to include a provision that would delay ObamaCare.
Boehner and Obama spoke on the phone yesterday about the debt ceiling, but did not come to an agreement.
Republicans concede there aren’t 60 votes in the Senate to pass the bill that also kills ObamaCare.
“We may have a shutdown temporarily,” predicted Rep. Charles Boustany (R-La.). “There’s always room for negotiating, and that’s where it’s headed.”
Even if the Senate strips out the anti-ObamaCare language and sends back a “clean” bill to fund the government, congressional liberals are already signaling they might balk at its reduced funding levels.
“Not only are the Republicans setting themselves up to lose on funding the government, but they’re painting themselves into a corner on the debt ceiling,” said Sen. Charles Schumer.