Cruz, Rubio Build 'Grassroots Army' to Stop Obamacare

Conservative GOP senators are stepping up their pressure on Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to strip money for Obamacare from any federal funding bill.

Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Marco Rubio of Florida are leading the campaign to build a "grassroots army" to sway the Republican leadership to back a plan blocking any measure that funds the government after Sept. 30 unless it cuts spending for the Affordable Care Act, reports The Hill.

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So far, just 13 Senate Republicans have reportedly signed a letter, circulated by Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, vowing to tie the health care reform law to the federal budget.

Supporters are taking their message public, promoting an online petition — www.dontfundobamacare.com — that reads, "On October 1st, millions of Americans will be required to enroll in Obamacare and could lose access to their doctors and be forced to pay higher premiums and higher taxes. Sign the petition and tell Congress: Don't Fund Obamacare!"

As of Wednesday morning, the petition had more than 250,000 signatures.

Cruz is traveling to the critical presidential battleground of Iowa at the end of the week, according to The Hill, to meet with activists and discuss using every available tool to fight implementation of the health care law.

"He's trying to build a grassroots army over the August recess," a GOP aide familiar with Cruz's strategy told the publication.

At the end of the month, Cruz and Rubio reportedly will promote the issue at a conference in Orlando, Fla., sponsored by Americans for Prosperity, a tea party group.

In the meantime, Rubio has planned a series of public events, speeches and meetings around Florida, an aide told The Hill.

Some Senate Republicans, however, remain steadfast in their opposition to the strategy.
Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina has called it "the dumbest idea I've ever heard of," while Sen. John McCain of Arizona has said, "Most Americans are really tired of those kinds of shenanigans."

An aide for McConnell told The Hill that while he always has supported repealing Obamacare, he questions his conservative colleagues' tactics.

The aide also pointed to a recent Congressional Research Service report commissioned by Republican Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, which found that a government shutdown would not stop the implementation of Obamacare.

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