Tea party Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) put the GOP on notice Tuesday by characterizing a vote against shutting down the government by refusing to fund the Affordable Care Act as endorsing the law outright.
“Defund it, or own it. If you fund it, you’re for it,” Lee said on the Senate floor.
Lee, joined by Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Ted Cruz (R-TX), is spearheading an effort not to fund the government unless it excludes appropriations to implement Obamacare. The lawmakers are finding severe resistance within their own ranks, however.
One of those Republicans who disagrees with Lee’s strategy, Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK), explained on the Senate floor that defunding Obamacare would require a highly-unlikely 67 votes.
“I’d love to defund Obamacare, I’d like someone to show me a mechanism to do it,” he said.
