Oct. 2, 2013, Fairfax, VA—Americans for Limited Government President Nathan Mehrens today issued the following statement blasting 17 House Republicans who say they would support a so-called “clean” continuing resolution that would allow funding for Obamacare:
“Supporting a continuing resolution that allows funding for Obamacare is the same as supporting Obamacare. These 17 House Republicans are undermining the negotiating position of House leadership in the middle of a major confrontation over what to do about the implementation of the health care law. It is unhelpful and they have attached themselves to the Reid-Pelosi wing of the Democratic Party by supporting Obamacare.”
Attachments:
“Here’s A Tally Of Which House Republicans Are Ready To Fund The Government, No Strings Attached,” By Jennifer Bendery, Oct. 2, 2013, at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/01/house-republicans-clean-cr_n_4024755.html
Rep. Pat Meehan (R-Pa.): “At this point, I believe it’s time for the House to vote for a clean, short-term funding bill to bring the Senate to the table and negotiate a responsible compromise.” [Press Release, 10/1/13]
Rep. Scott Rigell (R-Va.): “Time for a clean [continuing resolution].” [Official Twitter, 10/1/13]
Rep. Jon Runyan (R-N.J.): “Enough is enough. Put a clean [continuing resolution] on the floor and let’s get on with the business we were sent to do.” [Burlington County Times, 10/1/13]
Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.): A Fitzpatrick aide tells the Philadelphia Inquirer the congressman would support a clean funding bill if it came up for a vote. [Philadelphia Inquirer, 10/1/13]
Rep. Lou Barletta (R-Pa.): Barletta said he would “absolutely” vote for a clean bill in order to avert a shut down of the government. [Bethlehem Morning Call, 10/1/13]
Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.): King thinks House Republicans would prefer to avoid a shutdown and said he will only vote for a clean continuing resolution to fund the government, according to the National Review Online. [NRO, 9/30/13]
Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.): The California Republican told The Huffington Post he would ultimately support a clean continuing resolution. [Tweet by The Huffington Post’s Sabrina Siddiqui, 9/30/13]
Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Pa.): “I’m prepared to vote for a clean [continuing resolution].” [The Huffington Post, 9/29/13]
Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.): A Wolf aide told The Hill that he agrees with fellow Virginia Rep. Scott Rigell (R) that it’s time for a clean continuing resolution. [The Hill, 10/1/13]
Rep. Michael Grimm (R-N.Y.): A Grimm aide told The Huffington Post that the congressman supports a clean continuing resolution. [10/1/13].
Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-Minn.): A local news anchor in Minnesota tweeted that Paulsen told him he would vote for a clean resolution if given the chance. [Blake McCoy Tweet, 10/1/13]
Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.): A constituent of Wittman’s sent The Huffington Post an email she got from the congressman indicating he would vote for a clean funding bill but hasn’t had “an opportunity to do so at this point.” [10/1/13]
Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-N.J.): LoBiondo told The Press of Atlantic City he’ll support “whatever gets a successful conclusion” to the shutdown and a clean funding bill “is one of those options.” [The Press of Atlantic City, 10/1/13]
Rep. Randy Forbes (R-Va.): Forbes told The Virginian-Pilot that he supports the six-week clean funding bill that passed in the Senate. [The Virginian-Pilot, 10/2/13]
EDITOR’S NOTE: Below is a note we just received from Rep. Forbes’s Communications Director Dean Petrone clarifying Forbes’s position.
“Hey Guys- Saw your press release listing Randy as a supporter of a clean CR – Below is a press release we just sent out which better outlines Randy’s current position in regards to the CR fight. The Virginian Pilot article that cites Randy’s position is misleading at best and we have aggressively argued this point with their editors. The plan outlined below falls in line with what the Congressman has said all along – that fighting Obamacare is best done by stripping the funding appropriated for the IRS’s implementation of the ACA – this idea was met with enormous praise by both Lou Dobbs and Gov. Mike Huckabee earlier this week. In short, Forbes is offering a new, more effective strategy to undermine Obamacare, NOT stopping the Obamacare effort. Please share this release as you see fit.”
Rep. Jim Gerlach (R-Pa.): The congressman issued a statement saying he would “vote in favor of a so-called clean budget bill.” [Office of Rep. Jim Gerlach, 10/2/13].
Rep. Leonard Lance (R-N.J.): Lance’s chief of staff confirmed to The Huffington Post that he told a constituent on Wednesday that Lance has voted for clean government funding bills in the past “and would not oppose doing so again should one be brought to the floor.” [10/2/13]
Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho): Simpson told a Roll Call reporter Tuesday night, “I’d vote for a clean CR because I don’t think this is a strategy that works.” [Daniel Newhauser Tweet, 10/1/13]
Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at (703)383-0880 or at media@algnews.org to arrange an interview with ALG experts including ALG President Nathan Mehrens.
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