Washington: House Republicans on Saturday pushed the government to the edge of a partial shutdown next week, insisting that President Barack Obama's signature health care law be delayed a year in defiance of the White House and Democratic-controlled Senate.
The House Republicans rejected a Senate bill passed on Friday that would keep the government operating another 45 days and make no changes to the health care law.
Instead, they prepared to pass their own version on Saturday and throw the issue back to the Senate, which is not scheduled to return until Monday afternoon, 10 hours before the shutdown deadline.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has insisted the Senate would not pass a bill that alters the health care law.
The White House has said Obama would veto such a bill.
In addition to delaying final implementation of the Affordable Care Act, also referred to as Obamacare, for a year, the House bill would repeal a tax on medical devices that helps pay for the law, said Republican Rep Devin Nunes.
The measure would provide the government with operating funds until December 15; the Senate's version lasted until only November 15.
Dealing with the possibility the Senate would reject the bill, the House also planned to pass a companion measure on Sunday directing that US military troops be paid on time despite any partial shutdown.
Failure to pass a short-term measure to keep the government running would mean the first partial closing in almost 20 years.
A single, agreed-upon version must be approved by both houses of Congress and signed by Obama by Tuesday.
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