This week in the U.S. Senate, cloture was approved to end debate on the Continuing Resolution to fund the government until November 15. But the principled CR passed by the House is now unrecognizable, as the Senate resolution includes an amendment by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, which is a complete substitute for the House bill and includes more than a $967 billion increase in discretionary spending.
Not only did Reid remove the “Full Faith and Credit Act” language, which was structured to ensure the Treasury Department pays America’s outstanding bills if the debt ceiling isn’t raised, he also stripped the language which defunded Obamacare.
However, Reid could not remove the defunding language until he first secured 60 votes to invoke cloture, after which it only took a simple majority to approve the Obamacare funding. This is why the Senate voting for cloture on the House CR was also a vote for Obamacare.
Republicans could have stopped the funding of Obamacare dead in its tracks, but the following Obamacare-supporting Republican Senators ignored the will of the American people and caved when it really mattered:
- Alexander (up for re-election in 2014)
- Ayotte
- Barrasso
- Blunt
- Boozman
- Burr
- Chambliss
- Chiesa
- Coats
- Coburn
- Cochran (up for re-election in 2014)
- Collins (up for re-election in 2014)
- Corker
- Cornyn (up for re-election in 2014)
- Graham (up for re-election in 2014)
- Hoeven
- Isakson
- Johanns
- Johnson (WI)
- Kirk
- McCain
- McConnell (up for re-election in 2014)
- Murkowski
- Thune
- Wicker
Two Republican senators did not vote:
- Flake
- Hatch
As the law authorizing President Obama to spend more money on Obamacare expires this Monday, it is up to the House to make the final stand. As Article 1, Section 7 of the Constitution requires, all spending bills in Congress must originate in the House. Therefore, funding of Obamacare cannot happen without Republican support.
With insurance rates skyrocketing, doctors retiring early, and America’s economy hurting, America’s health care system is already being dramatically changed by the new law for the worse. Conservatives must insist that House Republicans draw a line in the sand, fund all other parts of government, and stop at nothing to prevent the funding of Obamacare. If it isn’t stopped now, Obamacare will harm job creation and healthcare for our children and countless future generations.
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