GOP Rep: We Can De-Fund Health Care Reform Instead of Repealing It
Add Rep. Tom Petri (R-Wis.) to the roster of Republicans hedging a bit on whether the party can repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
“„Petri said Republicans don’t have to repeal the health care plan. They could effectively quash it by refusing to fund the initiatives as each one comes before Congress for authorization.
“„“The president can’t spend money unless it’s appropriated by the Congress,” he said.
As Donny Shaw pointed out when Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) argued for this strategy, “refusing to fund” is harder than it sounds — the president can veto appropriations bills just as easily as he can veto a “repeal” bill. And teeing up entitlement cuts for a Democratic president to veto — well, that’s a fight Democrats would enjoy.
