Washington - Today, House leadership announced votes on amendments to the Senate-passed Continuing Appropriations Resolution (H.J.Res.59). Heritage Action for America released the following statement:
Over the past few months, conservatives around the country have focused on the need to defund Obamacare during the upcoming CR, primarily to prevent the law's massive new entitlements from taking effect. The Blackburn Amendment presented by House Republicans is a delay of Obamacare's provisions but does not fully defund implementation of Obamacare. Although it falls short of full defunding, Heritage Action will not key vote against the Blackburn Amendment because a delay is a step towards preventing the law's entitlements from taking root.
The Paulsen Amendment, which would permanently repeal the Medical Device Tax, does nothing to prevent the law's entitlements from taking root and continues funding Obamacare in its entirety. Like the rest of Obamacare, the tax is bad policy; however, repealing the tax will do little to exempt Americans from the impact of Obamacare. Heritage Action opposes the Paulsen Amendment, which fails to address the core problems of Obamacare.
While passage of H.J.Res.59 would prevent Obamacare's mandatory programs from coming online this Tuesday, it has failed to fully defund the law. There is, however, a likely threat that Sen. Harry Reid will block the Blackburn Amendment and return the CR with nothing but the Medical Device Tax repeal. Heritage Action would strongly oppose such legislation and reserves the right to key vote against the Paulsen Amendment.
Related:
Heritage Action Scorecard
Congress Must Defund Obamacare in its Entirety
Defunding Obamacare: Questions & Answers, Excuses and Responses
Coalition Letter: Defund Obamacare to Fund the Government
Key Vote: Co-Sponsorship of the Defund Obamacare Act of 2013 (House)
"YES" on Continuing Resolution that Defunds Obamacare (House)
"NO" on Cloture that Facilitates Striking Defund Language (Senate)
USA Today: ObamaCare is fiscally irresponsible