A day after unveiling a stop gap budget plan to keep the government running, Republican leaders in the House were forced to delay action on the measure, as rank and file GOP lawmakers demanded a more direct approach that included a clear prohibition on funding for the Obama health law.
"It's after spending five weeks at home and hearing one constituent after another say, 'please protect me from this law,'" said Rep. James Lankford (R-OK), who joined a broad array of GOP lawmakers in urging party leaders to directly deal with the issue.
The plan released on Tuesday used a parliamentary maneuver to attach language barring funding for the health law to the funding measure; opponents of that say it would be much better to have concrete language in the actual temporary budget plan.
"That would be most helpful, yeah," said Rep. Tom Price (R-GA).
The intra-party spat came as a new CNN poll showed support for the health law dropping to 39%; it was 51% in the same poll back in January.
While Republicans battled with each other, Democrats rapped the GOP, again laying the groundwork for blame-game-finger-pointing if there is a government shutdown.
"The American people are witnessing yet another sign that Republicans can't get their act together," scoffed House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi.
That same CNN poll also said if there is a shutdown over Obamacare, 51% of those surveyed would blame the GOP; it's one reason Speaker John Boehner has wanted to avoid a shutdown fight.
Lawmakers have until September 30 - the end of the fiscal year - to approve a temporary budget plan to keep the government running.
One problem is the House floor schedule, which only has lawmakers here for four days of legislative business next week, followed by a week off, and then a session on the 30th.
"I would say it probably increases the chances that we will be here the last full week of September," said Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK), who urged his colleagues to focus on Democrats and lower budget numbers, not each other.
"Obviously, we are not where we need to be (on the CR) or we would have voted on it," Cole told reporters just off the House floor.
