Cruz: I Hope Reid Backs Away From Shutdown Ledge

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks at a news conference with conservative Congressional Republicans who persuaded the House leadership to include defunding the Affordable Care Act in legislation to prevent a government s... Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks at a news conference with conservative Congressional Republicans who persuaded the House leadership to include defunding the Affordable Care Act in legislation to prevent a government shutdown, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2013. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) MORE LESS
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Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) sought Sunday to lay the blame on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) if the government shuts down Tuesday.

“His position is 100 percent of Obamacare must be funded in all instances and other than that, he’s going to shut the government down,” Cruz said on Meet The Press. “I hope he back away from that ledge that he’s pushing us toward.”

Cruz also portrayed the spending bill passed Saturday by the House — which would delay Obamacare for one year and repeal its medical device — as a compromise, compared to the first bill that the House passed, which defunded the law.

The Senate rejected the House’s first bill, and Senate leadership has pledged to turn down the bill passed Saturday.

“If we have a shutdown, it will only be because Harry Reid says: ‘I refuse even to talk’,” Cruz said. “What have Democrats compromised on? Nothing.”

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