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Government shutdown looms as fiscal fight heads back to the House

By: Geoff Bennett, Washington D.C. Bureau 09/27/2013 08:32 PM 

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Senate on Friday approved a government funding bill to keep the federal government open, and now the fiscal fight heads back to the House.

Senate Democrats agreed to the measure after restoring funding for President Obama’s healthcare law – something Republicans oppose.

House Republicans have vowed not to accept the Senate’s legislation, which removes a provision to defund President Obama's health care law.

“The right step to take is to repeal Obamacare, at the very least delay Obamacare because of the problems it presents,” said Rep. Virginia Foxx, [R] North Carolina.

But not every Republican was sold on the House GOP effort.

“I say to my friends who say we ought to shut the government down to get rid of Obamacare that it won’t work. Even if they hoped that it would work, it won’t work,” said Sen. John Cornyn, [R] Texas.

That’s because funding for the Affordable Care Act is mandatory. And the health insurance exchanges that are a cornerstone of the healthcare law open next week, a point President Obama reiterated Friday.

“Those marketplaces will be open on Tuesday. No matter what. Even if there’s a government shutdown,” said President Obama.

But after Friday’s Senate vote, Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz remained defiant. Cruz objected to the president’s healthcare law with a 21-hour-long Senate floor speech, and he’s now calling on the House to continue the fight.

“When the House stands up and does the right thing, I think it will present a terrific opportunity for every Senate Republican to stand arm-in-arm with the House Republicans,” said Sen. Ted Cruz, [R] Texas.

This battle now heads into the weekend. If the House passes the Senate bill as is, crisis averted, no government shutdown. If they make changes, the Senate may not have time to respond, and that would lead to the first government shutdown in nearly 20 years.