Washington’s senior senator says she won’t let Republicans sacrifice the new health care law in order to pass a budget. The Republican-controlled House is pushing a plan that would do just that.
Sen. Patty Murray took to the Senate floor Wednesday to tell them, “It’s not gonna happen.”
Murray, who chairs the Senate Budget Committee, criticized Republicans not only for threatening the Affordable Care Act, but for risking a government shutdown or default.
“We are not going to let this law get sabotaged as it continues to benefit millions of families and small business owners. And the sooner Republicans realize this, the sooner we can get to work defusing this latest artificial crisis,” Murray said.
Murray cited a poll showing that fewer than one in four people support defunding the law.
Republicans come back with polls of their own. House Speaker John Boehner points to a Pew survey showing a majority of Americans disapprove of Obamacare as evidence that people support pulling the plug on the law.
He says the House will pass its bill this week, though it’s almost certain to die in the Democratic-controlled Senate.
Republican members of Washington’s House delegation couldn’t be reached for comment.
Congress faces a Sept. 30 deadline to pass a budget.
– KPLU
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