Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, long an outspoken critic of the Affordable Care Act, took to the air waves Monday night in a phone call with his constituents to rally up support for defunding it, calling on Congress to refuse to pass a budget later this month if the healthcare plan is included in it.
Lost in the tension surrounding potential military action in Syria — and its sudden change of plans with Russia’s involvement — is the persistent fight of several Republican lawmakers, Cruz included, to demolish the 2010 law and its ongoing requirements.
In a tele-town hall Monday evening sponsored by Empower Texans, a nonprofit organization advocating fiscal responsibility, Cruz spoke about his concerns and suggestions to repeal Obamacare, which he said was “the single biggest job killer in this country and poses an enormous threat to the economic health and well-being of the nation.”
House leaders have crafted a proposal that would specify the repeal of Obamacare and plan to include it in the government’s continuing resolution to fund itself through the first few months of the next fiscal year. Cruz advocated this plan Monday night, saying it places pressure on the Democrats.
“This is different because this actually has teeth,” Cruz said. “This actually has a real chance of working.”
As a funding deadline for the federal government nears at the end of the month, Republicans are trying to use the budget proposal as leverage to abolish Obamacare. Legislators will have to develop a budget bill by Oct. 1 to avoid a government shutdown.
Cruz said it will bring Obamacare back to the center of the funding debate and added, “I have pledged under no circumstances will I support a resolution that funds even one penny of Obamacare.”
(Excerpt) Read more at blog.chron.com ...
