This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/01/us/politics/congress-shutdown-debate.html

The article has changed 13 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 6 Version 7
Government Near Broad Shutdown in Budget Impasse Government Near Broad Shutdown in Budget Impasse
(about 2 hours later)
WASHINGTON — The federal government teetered Monday night on the brink of its first shutdown in nearly two decades after last-minute moves by the House and Senate failed to break a bitter budget standoff over President Obama’s health care law, raising the prospect that federal agencies would run out of money as of Tuesday.WASHINGTON — The federal government teetered Monday night on the brink of its first shutdown in nearly two decades after last-minute moves by the House and Senate failed to break a bitter budget standoff over President Obama’s health care law, raising the prospect that federal agencies would run out of money as of Tuesday.
House Republican leaders won approval, in a vote of 228 to 201, of a new plan to tie further government spending to a one-year delay in a requirement that individuals buy health insurance after the Senate took less than 25 minutes to convene and dispose of a weekend budget proposal by the House Republicans. The House proposal would deny federal subsidies to members of Congress, Capitol Hill staff, executive branch political appointees, White House staff, and the president and vice president, who would be forced to buy their health coverage on the Affordable Care Act’s new insurance exchanges. House Republican leaders won approval, in a vote of 228 to 201, of a new plan to tie further government spending to a one-year delay in a requirement that individuals buy health insurance. The House proposal would deny federal subsidies to members of Congress, Capitol Hill staff, executive branch political appointees, White House staff, and the president and vice president, who would be forced to buy their health coverage on the Affordable Care Act’s new insurance exchanges.
Senate Democrats said firmly that they had no intention of accepting the House Republicans’ latest volley, and Mr. Obama delivered a harsh rebuke to Congressional Republicans from the White House. But 57 minutes later, and with almost no debate, the Senate killed the House health care provisions and sent the stopgap spending bill right back, free of policy prescriptions. Earlier in the day, the Senate had taken less than 25 minutes to convene and dispose of a weekend budget proposal by the House Republicans.
“They’ve lost their minds,” Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the majority leader, said before disposing of the House bill. “They keep trying to do the same thing over and over again.”
The federal government was then left essentially to run out of money at midnight, the end of the fiscal year, as House Republicans scrambled for a response.
“One faction in one branch of government doesn’t get to shut down the entire government just to refight the results of an election,” Mr. Obama said in the White House briefing room as the clock ticked to midnight. “You don’t get to extract a ransom for doing your job.”“One faction in one branch of government doesn’t get to shut down the entire government just to refight the results of an election,” Mr. Obama said in the White House briefing room as the clock ticked to midnight. “You don’t get to extract a ransom for doing your job.”
Aides said that the president called Speaker John A. Boehner of Ohio on Monday night to discuss the impasse and that Mr. Boehner reiterated his objections to the health law. The legislative and rhetorical volleys flying between the chambers of Congress and the White House passed for action. Mr. Obama called House Speaker John A. Boehner of Ohio, but they spoke for less than 10 minutes, without any sign of progress.
The legislative and politically charged volleys flying between the chambers of Congress and the White House passed for action, but all sides understood they had little way of bridging the chasm separating the parties before Tuesday, when 800,000 federal workers were to be furloughed and more than a million others would be asked to go to work without pay. “I talked to the president tonight,” the speaker said on the House floor. He summed up Mr. Obama’s remarks as: “I’m not going to negotiate. I’m not going to negotiate.”
The House’s most ardent conservatives appeared ready to see their war over the health care law through to its inevitable conclusion, a shutdown that would test voters’ patience. But cracks in the Republican caucus opened into fissures of frustration. In truth, all sides understood they had no way — and no real intention — of bridging the chasm separating the parties before Tuesday, when 800,000 federal workers were to be furloughed and more than a million others would be asked to go to work without pay.
“You have this group that keeps saying somehow if you’re not with them, you’re for Obamacare,” said Representative Devin Nunes, Republican of California. “If you’re not with exactly their plan, exactly what they want to do, then you’re somehow for Obamacare, and it’s just getting a little old. It’s moronic to shut down the government over this.” The House’s most ardent conservatives were resigned to seeing through their war on the health care law to its inevitable conclusion, a shutdown that could test voters’ patience with Republican brinkmanship.
The House’s most conservative Republicans, with some help from a handful of moderate Republicans, worked Monday evening to bring down the Republican leadership’s latest effort to link further government financing to the health law, arguing that the effort did too little to cripple the Affordable Care Act. The fledgling revolt fell short on a procedural motion to begin considering the proposal — possibly the House’s last before a government shutdown. Only six Republicans voted no. “The fear shouldn’t be what’s going to happen at 12 o’clock tonight,” Representative Michele Bachmann, Republican of Minnesota, said Monday night. “The fear needs to be on the future, what’s going to happen with jobs, what’s going to happen with health insurance for the American people.”
Earlier Monday, the Senate voted 54-46 along party lines to kill the House plan immediately after ending a weekend break. Senators then sent the House a bill to finance the government through Nov. 15 without policy prescriptions. But cracks in the party were opening into fissures of frustration.
“You have this group that keeps saying somehow if you’re not with them, you’re for Obamacare,” said Representative Devin Nunes, Republican of California. “If you’re not with exactly their plan, exactly what they want to do, then you’re somehow for Obamacare, and it’s just getting a little old.”
“It’s moronic to shut down the government over this,” he continued.
It was far from certain that Republicans could remain unified on their insistence on health care concessions if a shutdown lasted for some time. Asked whether Republicans could hold together through the end of the week, Representative Phil Gingrey of Georgia, one of the more conservative members, answered: “I don’t know. I don’t know.”
Earlier Monday, the Senate voted 54 to 46 along party lines to kill the previous House plan immediately after ending a weekend break. Senators then sent the House a bill to finance the government through Nov. 15 without policy prescriptions.
But House leaders would have none of it, again demanding a significant hit to the health law as a price for keeping the government open.But House leaders would have none of it, again demanding a significant hit to the health law as a price for keeping the government open.
“The president provided a one-year delay of the employer mandate,” Mr. Boehner said. “He’s provided for exceptions for unions and others. There’s even an exception for members of Congress. We believe that everyone should be treated fairly.”“The president provided a one-year delay of the employer mandate,” Mr. Boehner said. “He’s provided for exceptions for unions and others. There’s even an exception for members of Congress. We believe that everyone should be treated fairly.”
Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the Senate majority leader, laid into the speaker and put the blame for a shutdown solely on his shoulders. Mr. Reid laid into the speaker and put the blame for a shutdown solely on his shoulders. “Our negotiation is over with,” he said.
“Our negotiation is over with,” he said.
“You know with a bully you cannot let them slap you around, because they slap you around today, they slap you five or six times tomorrow,” Mr. Reid, a former boxer, continued. “We are not going to be bullied.”“You know with a bully you cannot let them slap you around, because they slap you around today, they slap you five or six times tomorrow,” Mr. Reid, a former boxer, continued. “We are not going to be bullied.”
In addition to criticizing Mr. Boehner in harsh terms, Mr. Reid excoriated what he called the “banana Republican mind-set” of the House. He called on the speaker to put the Senate bill up for a vote, which would almost certainly pass in the House because of overwhelming Democratic support and backing from moderate Republicans. In addition to criticizing Mr. Boehner, Mr. Reid excoriated what he called the “banana Republican mind-set” of the House. He called on the speaker to put the Senate bill up for a vote, which would almost certainly pass in the House because of overwhelming Democratic support and backing from moderate Republicans.
“I have a very simple message to John Boehner: Let the House vote. Stop trying to force a government shutdown,” Mr. Reid said.
In their latest move, House Republicans attached language to a government funding bill that would delay the mandate that individuals obtain health insurance and would force members of Congress, their staffs and White House staff members to buy their health insurance on the new exchanges without any government subsidies.In their latest move, House Republicans attached language to a government funding bill that would delay the mandate that individuals obtain health insurance and would force members of Congress, their staffs and White House staff members to buy their health insurance on the new exchanges without any government subsidies.
Conservative activists have portrayed the language as ensuring that Congress and the White House would be held to the same strictures that apply to ordinary Americans under the health care law. In fact, the language would put poorly paid junior staff members at a disadvantage.Conservative activists have portrayed the language as ensuring that Congress and the White House would be held to the same strictures that apply to ordinary Americans under the health care law. In fact, the language would put poorly paid junior staff members at a disadvantage.
Most people buying coverage on the exchanges will receive subsidies through generous tax credits. Most Americans will still get their insurance from their employers, who will continue to receive a tax deduction for the cost of that care. Under the House language, lawmakers and their staffs, executive branch political appointees, the White House staff, and the president and vice president would have to pay the entire cost of health insurance out of pocket.Most people buying coverage on the exchanges will receive subsidies through generous tax credits. Most Americans will still get their insurance from their employers, who will continue to receive a tax deduction for the cost of that care. Under the House language, lawmakers and their staffs, executive branch political appointees, the White House staff, and the president and vice president would have to pay the entire cost of health insurance out of pocket.
Unlike on Saturday, when House Republicans emerged excited and unified by their proposal, this time there were significant qualms. that their own age or their health conditions would make buying insurance a struggle. Unlike on Saturday, when House Republicans emerged excited and unified by their proposal, this time there were significant qualms.
“There are definitely some people who are very much not for it,” said Rep. Bill Shuster, Republican of Pennsylvania. Representative Peter T. King, Republican of New York, said junior staff members were “being used as a sacrifice” for a political gambit, driven by Republican hard-liners in the Senate like Ted Cruz of Texas, that will go nowhere.
Representative Peter T. King, Republican of New York, said junior staff members were “being used as a sacrifice” for a political gambit, driven by Republican hard-liners in the Senate like Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, that will go nowhere. “They locked themselves into this situation, the dead end that Ted Cruz created,” Mr. King said.
“They locked themselves into this situation, the dead end that Ted Cruz created, and there’s no other way to get out of it but keep on going and going,” Mr. King said. The budget confrontation — which threatened to close federal offices and facilities, idling thousands of workers around the country — stemmed from an unusual push by Republicans to undo a law that has been on the books for three years, through a presidential election, and that the Supreme Court largely upheld in 2012. A major part of the law is set to take effect Tuesday: the opening of insurance exchanges, where people without insurance will be able to obtain coverage.
The budget confrontation — which threatens to close federal offices and facilities, idling thousands of workers around the country — stemmed from an unusual push by Republicans to undo a law that has been on the books for three years, through a presidential election, and that the Supreme Court largely upheld in 2012. A major part of the law is set to take effect Tuesday: the opening of insurance exchanges, where people without health insurance will be able to obtain coverage. Republicans argue that the administration has itself delayed elements of the law. They say it should be postponed for at least a year to eliminate what they see as bureaucratic problems and harmful consequences for businesses and individuals.
Republicans argue that the Obama administration has itself delayed elements of the law. They say that at a minimum it should be postponed for a year to eliminate what they see as bureaucratic problems and harmful consequences for businesses and individuals. Republicans also say they have compromised by retreating from their insistence that all money be stripped from the health law. Democrats say Republicans are being driven by the most extreme elements of their party to use the federal budget to extract concessions on health care that they could not win through the traditional legislative process. “The scary thing about the period we’re in right now is there is no clear end,” said Representative Chris Van Hollen, Democrat of Maryland.
Democrats say Republicans are being driven by the most extreme elements of their party to use the federal budget to extract concessions on health care that they could not win through the traditional legislative process. But with the government poised for a shutdown, no one in Congress seemed to know how or when the showdown would end. “The scary thing about the period we’re in right now is there is no clear end,” said Representative Chris Van Hollen, Democrat of Maryland.

Ashley Parker contributed reporting.

Ashley Parker contributed reporting.