On the Senate floor Tuesday, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) criticized the plan of Ted Cruz and others to filibuster the House-passed government spending bill that defunds Obamacare.
“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. That would be the results of filibustering.”
The offices of McConnell and Minority Whip John Cornyn (R-TX) both said Monday that they would not support Cruz’s filibuster effort, uniting Senate GOP leadership against the strategy.
Cruz has said that Senate Republicans should filibuster the House bill until Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (R-NV) agrees to a 60-vote threshold for any motion that removes the defund language.
