The Republican controlled U.S. House of Representatives voted late Friday to cut off funding for the President Barack Obama's healthcare reform law.
The move will likely intensify an already contentious battle over spending and budget cutbacks.
The spending bill under debate in the House of Representatives would cut government spending by more than $60 billion. Republican Congressman Mike Pence Thursday called for billions more in cuts in order to, he said, “set this nation back on a pathway toward fiscal responsibility and reform.”
But Democrats are fighting some of the cuts to social programs as well as funding for health care, the Environmental Protection Agency and other regulatory agencies. Democratic Representative Keith Ellison Thursday asked if the government will make these cuts or maintain the programs he said, “give us the opportunity to have a decent standard of life in America.”
Republicans won a majority in the House of Representatives during the last election, in part, because of their promises to cut government spending. Democrats still hold the majority in the Senate, and have said they will not accept such drastic reductions.
The previous fiscal year ended September 30, but Congress extended last year's budget to ensure the government continues functioning while the debate over the new spending bill continues.
That extension ends at midnight March 4. If a new budget is not passed before then, the government could shut down.
President Obama says he is committed to working with both parties to find a compromise. The president, however, has made clear he would veto the large spending cuts under discussion if they ever reach his desk.