Georgia’s Republican U.S. senators are siding with their party’s leadership rather than the right flank in a tactical debate over funding the Affordable Care Act and avoiding a partial government shutdown that is splintering Senate Republicans.
U.S. Sens. Johnny Isakson and Saxby Chambliss said Tuesday that they will support procedural votes on a House-passed stopgap spending bill that denies funding to the ACA, starting with one scheduled Wednesday.
But U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and conservative pressure groups are urging “no” votes to thwart plans by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to swap in his own spending bill that includes funding for the law nicknamed “Obamacare.”
If Reid gets 60 votes on procedural matters, he can add a Democratic-friendly amendment and pass it with 51 votes at the end. Democrats control 54 votes in the Senate.
Cruz’s effort attracted only a handful of senators Tuesday and appeared headed for defeat. If the votes hold and foes use up all their time, the Senate can send the House a short-term spending bill that funds the health law this weekend — with little time before a partial shutdown of the government takes effect Oct. 1.
Chambliss said clearing the procedural hurdles would not amount to a tactical victory for Reid.
“No, I think the House sent us a good bill,” Chambliss said, “and we’ll see where it goes from there.”
Cruz spent several hours Tuesday railing against the health law on the Senate floor, with occasional breaks provided by his allies. He decried Republicans backing procedural votes when they know the path ahead.
“It’s a little bit like the World Wrestling Federation, wrestling matches where it’s all rigged, the outcome is predetermined,” Cruz said. “They know in advance who’s going to win, and it’s all for show.”
Some Republicans have had choice words for Cruz, a freshman whom U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., memorably dubbed as one of Congress’ “wacko birds.” Isakson smiled and demurred Tuesday when asked his thoughts on the polarizing Cruz.
“Differences of opinion are healthy,” Isakson said. “The ability to unify after you have a difference of opinion is the key. Whether this is a divisive situation or a unifying situation remains to be seen, but it could be either one.”
In the House last week, conservative Republicans spurred on by Rep. Tom Graves of Ranger rallied behind an effort to kill the Affordable Care Act in a must-pass spending bill before Oct. 1, when enrollment begins in health insurance exchanges.
Appearing Tuesday on Fox News, Graves defended Cruz’s efforts.
“What Senator Cruz is doing is everything he can, I imagine, to accomplish those goals of keeping the government open and protecting America from Obamacare,” Graves said. “So I’m not as familiar with Senate procedures as they are, but I know his motives are pure and his intent is to accomplish those goals.”
Conservative pressure groups including the Club For Growth, Heritage Action for America and FreedomWorks are lining up behind Cruz, urging voters to call Isakson, Chambliss and other senators to tell them to vote no.
Isakson’s office received 4,000 calls on the issue Monday and several thousand more on Tuesday, the vast majority of which urged him to side with Cruz. About a third of the calls were not from Georgia and most appeared to be encouraged by advertisements and outside groups, according to an Isakson spokeswoman, though a few urged him not to shut down the government.
Among those encouraging calls to the two senators was Dwight Roberts Jr. of Cumming, the managing editor of the website zpolitics.com.
Roberts said he wished Isakson and Chambliss would “either embrace (Cruz) or lead the charge with him.”
”The GOP loves to fundraise against Obamacare. They like to campaign against Obamacare,” Roberts said. “But when it comes to getting in the saddle and actually fighting it, they kind of whimper out.”
The Georgia Chamber of Commerce is taking a different tack. The group opposed the Affordable Care Act, but now it is helping businesses cope with the law’s demands, Senior Vice President Joselyn Baker said. Meanwhile, the Chamber is encouraging Georgia lawmakers to avert a shutdown.
“Any action that would cause something to shut down the government would be economically disruptive and would potentially do harm to an economy that’s beginning to recover,” Baker said. “What business needs more than anything is reliability and predictability.”
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said the focus should be on vulnerable Democratic senators: Four are running for re-election next year in states that lean Republican. Five must turn on Reid in order to pass a bill that denies funding to the health law.
A GOP filibuster would prevent that vote, with no available alternative to a government shutdown.
“I just don’t happen to think filibustering a bill that defunds Obamacare is the best route to defunding Obamacare,” McConnell said. “All it does is shut down the government and keep Obamacare funded. And none of us want that.”
Reid said he will introduce an amendment to extend government spending to Nov. 15, rather than the Dec. 15 proposed by the House, while also funding the health law.
House Republicans have not yet announced their strategy if they get such a bill. Possible countermoves include a repeal of the Affordable Care Act’s tax on medical devices or denying federal employer subsidies for members of Congress and staff who are forced to join the ACA exchanges as part of the law.
In addition, the House could vote as soon as Friday on a bill to increase the debt ceiling and delay the Affordable Care Act by one year.
About the Author
