On Friday, the House voted to defund ObamaCare in a continuing resolution that keeps government open for several months. The vote was 230-189, with just two Democrats crossing the aisle to defund the health care law.
While most of ObamaCare is funded by mandatory spending not subject to congressional appropriation, stripping funding out of the government’s continuing resolution blocks HHS’s ability to implement and enforce the unpopular law.
Attention now turns to the Senate. While it is unlikely the Democrat-controlled chamber would pass a resolution to defund ObamaCare, the debate puts an uncomfortable focus on several vulnerable incumbents up for reelection next year. Sens. Mark Pryor, Mary Landrieu and Kay Hagen face difficult reelections next year. Yet another vote to enforce and implement ObamaCare is the last thing their campaigns need.
Thanks to the efforts of Sens. Ted Cruz and Mike Lee, they are going to get another opportunity to stand with, or oppose, ObamaCare. This was always the point of the fight. Battle is now engaged.