Some congressional Republicans just won't let go of repealing the Affordable Care Act.
"If they want to fund the government, they've got to defund Obamacare," Rep. Jim Bridenstine (R-Okla.) told conservative pundit Mike Huckabee, the former Republican Arkansas governor, on Huckabee's radio show Tuesday.
Bridenstine, a tea party-backed freshman, characterized Obamacare as "the biggest affront to liberty in my lifetime," and said he was "hoping" and "praying" that the GOP would tie defunding of President Barack Obama's signature law to a continuing budget resolution -- a legislative maneuver to avert a government shutdown.
Congressional Republicans are "afraid of a government shutdown and what that might mean for their reelections in 2014," Bridenstine said.
Bridenstine acknowledged his position is not supported by mainstream Republicans. But he's not alone. At least one other Republican continues talking about taking down the health care law.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), another tea party favorite who caused a stir during his first months in Congress, offered an amendment to the continuing resolution that would defund Obamacare.
"I'm not convinced this is over, " Cruz told Laura Ingraham on her radio show Monday.
Cruz went on to say that if Republicans in the Senate amend the continuing resolution and send it back the House, "then I have not given up hope that the House may make the decision we're going to stand together and delay funding of Obamacare."
He continued, "Now to do that, you've got to be willing to risk President Obama shutting down the government if he won't go along with it. And I hope that Republicans in the House stand strong."
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