Senators split on funding vote [The Hawk Eye, Burlington, Iowa]

Sept. 28--Sen. Charles Grassley has one word why he opposed the continuing resolution that would fund the federal government through Nov. 15: Obamacare.

The Iowa Republican has made no secret of his opposition to the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare, for the past four years. And his resolve hasn't changed, as opponents have this final chance to defund the legislation before it goes into full effect Tuesday.

"My votes today were based on opposition to Obamacare. I've been committed to using every tool to stop it because of what's at stake for America's economy, jobs and health care needs," Grassley said in a statement following the series of votes on Friday. "Beyond that, the continuing resolution spends about $19 billion more than allowed under the Budget Control Act passed in August 2011, and government spending needs to be reduced to comply with that law."

The U.S. Senate passed the continuing resolution Friday afternoon, without Grassley's support and stripped of the U.S. House-added provisions that would have defunded the Affordable Care Act. The House is expected to review the bill over the weekend, but it's unclear if the legislation will pass by Tuesday to avert a government shutdown.

The Senate passed the measure Friday on a party-line vote, 54-44.

Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, was among the 54 who supported passage.

"The continuing resolution approved by the Senate today (Friday) responsibly averts a government shutdown and puts Congress on a path to address our spending needs," Harkin said in a statement following the votes. "Our economy cannot sustain another manufactured crisis, which is why I hope the U.S. House will recognize the urgency of this situation, put ideology aside and act swiftly to take up and pass this measure."

U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Illinois 17th District, released a statement Friday after the Senate vote to urge House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, to bring up the bill passed by the Senate to avoid a government shutdown.

She said the bill should be voted on "so seniors, veterans and other middle class families across Illinois can continue to receive vital services and avoid disruption to Social Security and disability claims."

Bustos added, "It's time to end the partisan gamesmanship in Washington (D.C.) and work together on common sense solutions that prioritize our constituents at home."

Grassley, though, said it is acting in the best interest of constituents to ensure the Affordable Care Act does not fully go into effect.

He said the law already has had a negative impact on hiring, with employers dropping hours and workers "being forced" into the exchanges.

"This is the opposite of what the president promised, that if you like the health care coverage you have, you can keep it. Even supporters of the Obama health care law are now opponents as reality sets in," Grassley said. "It's reasonable to conclude that we should stop moving forward on Obamacare."

Harkin, on the other hand, spent much of this week defending the health care reform, signed into law in 2010.

In a speech Wednesday, Harking outlined many positive provisions, including better coverage for prescription drugs for seniors, preventive services that do not require a co-pay, requiring insurance companies to accept people with pre-existing conditions and the health insurance exchanges that will become effective Tuesday.

"Now the House needs to stop holding middle-class families hostage to their demands to defund or repeal the Affordable Care Act and act responsibly to keep our economy moving in the right direction," Harkin concluded in his statement.

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