A source close to GOP House leadership said the Graves initiative, which is gaining momentum across the country, is a problem because it’s not a “clean [continuing resolution].” The source explains, “If anything other than a CR that continues spending just as it is, can be amended by the Senate in an unlimited way with only a majority vote. If it’s a ‘clean CR,’ it can only be amended with a cloture vote of 60.” The source says the place to defund Obamacare is in the debt ceiling or on the upcoming sequester vote.
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This sounds eerily like what we’ve been through for the last few years when we are told, “The next vote is the best vote to make a stand.” I’m not sure if anyone is buying it this time.
Later today, Congressmen Price, Graves and Westmoreland will hold a press availability on the issue. There has not been this much agreement among the Republican Caucus in a very long time. Those supporting leader Cantor and those supporting the Graves resolution agree the Senate can add any amendments they want. In the Graves resolutions, the changes would send it back to the House for another vote.
The “Graves Initiative,” my term, is as a replacement for the Cantor bill. The problem with the Cantor bill is the defund Obamacare portion could be stripped out, voted on by the Senate and then sent straight onto the president. This would deny the House and opportunity to respond.
Ahead of the press availability today, Graves office sent this out with updated co-sponsors and a list of media outlets reporting on the measure. From the press release:
Last Thursday, Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA-14) and dozens of cosponsors introduced the Stability, Security and Fairness Resolution, a plan to fund the government for Fiscal Year 2014 while fully delaying and defunding Obamacare until 2015. Since then, the bill has gained 17 cosponsors, bringing the total to 59. The recent additions are:
Reps. Michael McCaul (TX), Candice Miller (MI), Scott Garrett (NJ), Tom Cotton (AR), Larry Bucshon (IN), Chris Stewart (UT), Trey Radel (FL), Lee Terry (NE), Cynthia Lummis (WY), Dennis Ross (FL), Tom Reed (NY), Roger Williams (TX), Brad Wenstrup (OH), Ted Poe (TX), Mike Pompeo (KS), Paul Gosar (AZ), Bob Gibbs (OH).
Momentum continued to build over the weekend as the bill received more endorsements and positive news coverage:
So Graves, one of the most conservative members of the money-disbursing Appropriations Committee, started building support for his alternative…The path to uniting House Republicans on a spending plan appears to go through the Graves bill, or something similar.
(“Graves seeks to unite GOP in revolt,” 9/14/13)
Now the Graves bill — or something similar — will most likely have to be the Republicans’ opening offer in the funding fight. That’s helpful for leadership, which is trying to make it seem like the process is being driven by the Republican Study Committee, the conservative caucus in the House.
“Tom Graves is working on a proposal to fund the government outside of Obamacare — so everything except Obamacare,” Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) said on ABC’s “This Week.” “Send it to the Senate. Send the Republican version to the Senate. Let them negotiate on it, and we’ll try to come up with a compromise. But you can’t start where the Democrats want us to start. You have to start with a Republican proposal.
(“House Republican leaders: Debt hike is the better fight,” 9/15/13)
While Price said he “believe[s]” the Graves bill “will be coming forward this week,” Speaker John Boehner and the GOP leadership has not decided to back the bill…Roberts continued to hammer Van Hollen on all of the many problems that have occurred in the course of Obamacare’s implementation and on the apparent discrepancy between giving a delay to some people but not everyone. Van Hollen, one of the Democrats’ best, took it in stride, but the line of questioning would seem to offer hope for the proponents of the Graves’ plan.
(“A Dry Run for the Graves Bill,” 9/15/13)
The Wall Street Journal, inside-the-Beltway publications Roll Call and The Hill, Reuters and ABC News are among the media outlets that have run stories or made mention of legislation the North Georgia Republican introduced Thursday offering to fund the federal government for the coming fiscal year and delay the Affordable Care Act until 2015.
(“Georgian’s Obamacare bill draws coverage,” 9/13/13)
Rep. Tom Graves of Georgia has come out with a bill—cosigned by about 50 members and counting—that would fund the government for a year while stripping away funding for Obamacare until 2015. “Our conference is unifying on this in ways I haven’t seen in a long time,” he said about his bill, which would surely be dead-on-arrival in the Senate. “We have found the sweet spot that keeps the government open and keeps away the harmful effects of Obamacare.”
(“Government Shutdown? Not This Time,” 9/15/13)
Conservative lawmakers and activist groups quickly endorsed a bill last week from Rep. Tom Graves (R-Ga.) that would fund the entire federal government except ObamaCare, an approach Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah), Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) have championed.
(“Week ahead: ObamaCare spending showdown,” 9/16/13)
Sean Hannity:
“I want to give you as much support as I possibly can.”
(The Sean Hannity Show, 9/13/13)
In terms of details, more conservative Republicans have started rallying around a plan from Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA) that would “defund” the health law – for one year. More conservative groups like the Club for Growth and Freedom Works quickly signed on to the Graves plan, which had netted well over 40 co-sponsors as of last week – but it wasn’t clear whether GOP leaders would embrace it as well.
(“Deadline politics return in Washington,” 9/15/13)
There is momentum behind the proposal Rep. Tom Graves and others have spearheaded to fix the CR problem and bring some sanity to Obamacare.
(“Rep. Tom Graves and the big ‘Mo’,” 9/15/13)
Graves says the plan is “straightforward.” The measure funds the government a post-sequester levels…while keeping true to House Republicans’ desire to delay and defund ObamaCare.
(“House Republican proposes spending bill that would delay ObamaCare,” 9/13/13)
American Family Association:
The American Family Association is calling on all of their 2.5 million constituents to call their U.S. representatives today to urge them to co-sponsor H.J.RES. 62, an appropriations bill that does not contain any discretionary or mandatory funding for ObamaCare, also known as the “Affordable Care Act.”
(Press release, 9/16/13)
Americans For Limited Government:
“Americans for Limited Government supports the Graves continuing resolution that funds the government and defunds and delays implementation of Obamacare until 2015. We urge all members to co-sponsor this legislation and stand firm behind Rep. Graves’ effort. Continuing to fund Obamacare and allowing its implementation next year would be a disaster for the nation, and dangerous for the health and well being of the people.”
(Press release, 9/13/13)
Madison Project:
Yesterday, Rep. Tom Graves (R-Ga.) showed Republicans exactly what it means to defund Obamacare. He put together a budget CR that completely funds the government for a full year while delaying and defunding Obamacare until 2015. We fully support the Graves’ bill and this approach to tackling the budget deadline and Obamacare.
(Blog post, 9/13/13)
Tea Party Express:
“We are calling for both Republicans and Democrats to join Congressman Graves and his co-sponsors in supporting this critical piece of legislation. The time to act is now because we are becoming aware every day that the flaws in Obamacare far outweigh any of the benefits.”
(Press release, 9/13/13)
Conservative Congressman Tom Graves is leading the charge with the Stability, Security and Fairness Resolution (H.J.Res. 62) that defunds Obamacare while funding the rest of the government at agreed-upon sequestration levels…I ask you to stand with me in support of this smart piece of legislation.
(“A Battle Won, But The War Continues To Defund Obamacare,” 9/14/13)
Related articles
- Rep. Tom Graves introduces bill to fund government, defund Obamacare (rare.go-vip.net)
- Conservatives line up to endorse Rep. Graves’s defund Obamacare bill (rare.go-vip.net)
- Rep. Graves: Grassroots needs to continue pressure to defund Obamacare (rare.go-vip.net)