Shutdown Nears as House Votes to Delay ObamaCare

The Republican-controlled House approved legislation early today imposing a one-year delay on key parts of ObamaCare and repealing a tax on medical devices as the price for avoiding a partial government shutdown at 12:01am Tuesday. The measure now goes back to the Senate, which is not scheduled to meet until mid-afternoon on Monday, 10 hours before a shutdown would begin. Senate Democrats have already pledged to reject the measure, and the White House issued a statement vowing a veto in any event.

Apart from its impact on the health care law, the legislation that House Republicans decided to back would assure routine funding for government agencies through Dec. 15. Under House rules, the measure went to the Senate after lawmakers voted 248-174 to repeal the medical tax, then 231-192 for the one-year delay in ObamaCare. (CNN notes two Democrats backed the delay: Mike McIntyre of North Carolina and Jim Matheson of Utah.) The government spending measure marked something of a reduction in demands by House Republicans, who passed legislation several days ago that would permanently strip the health care law of money while providing funding for the government. (More ObamaCare stories.)