House sets stage for budget standoff with government funding vote
(CBS News) WASHINGTON -- There are now just 10 days left until the government runs out of funds to operate.
But today the Republican-led House passed a funding bill that has no chance of passing in the Democratically controlled Senate, because it contains a provision that cuts off all funding for the president's health care law.
The Senate is likely to strip out that measure and send it back to the House. At that point, we will be very close to the deadline, and House Republicans will have to decide how far they want to take this fight.
House Speaker John Boehner held a pep rally of sorts Friday, urging skeptical Senate Republicans to pick up the baton from their House counterparts.
House passes bill funding government, defunding Obamacare
Republicans "trying to mess with me" on budget, Obama says
Cruz says he'll filibuster spending bill if it doesn't defund Obamacare
"Our message to the United States Senate is real simple. The American people don't want the government shut down and they don't want Obamacare," said Boehner.
It came after every House Republican but one voted for the bill, which was championed by House conservatives like Louisiana's John Fleming.
"All we need is a couple Democrats over in the Senate -- maybe even three or four, even -- and we'll sit it on the president's desk and be ready to go," said Fleming.
But the leader of Senate Democrats, Harry Reid, has already made it clear there will be no defections on his side.
"Any bill that defunds Obamacare is dead. Dead. It's a waste of time, as I've said before," said Reid.
If Congress fails to fund the government by October 1, national parks, museums and monuments will close. Essential government employees like air traffic controllers and U.S. troops will have to temporarily work without pay. Workers considered non-essential will be furloughed, causing delays on services ranging from IRS refunds to passport processing.
House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi argued Republicans aren't just courting a shutdown, they're trying to deprive millions of Americans of affordable health insurance.
"Either you don't know what you are doing, or this is one of the most intentional acts of brutality that you have cooked up -- with stiff competition for that honor," said Pelosi.
But House Republicans say they're being deluged by complaints from their constituents about the health care law. They see this as their last chance to fight the law before public health care exchanges open to patients in 10 days.
