President Obama gave a short speech Monday evening urging House Republicans to pass a Senate bill to fund the government without including any controversial amendments, such as a so-called conscience clause or a delay of Obamacare's individual mandate.
"One faction of one party in one house of Congress in one branch of government doesn't get to shut down the entire government just to refight the results of the election," Obama said.
"The idea of putting the American people’s hard-earned progress at risk is the height of irresponsibility and doesn’t have to happen. Let me repeat that: It does not have to happen. All of this is entirely preventable."
Obama's statement came right before he was scheduled to hold a Cabinet meeting, which will likely focus on preparations for a government shutdown.
The government is likely to hit the deadline at midnight, as Congress has moved no closer to an agreement Monday that will keep the government funded.
The Democratic-controlled Senate tabled two amendments in the House of Representatives' version of the continuing resolution that made changes to the Affordable Care Act. The House has responded by offering a plan to pass two new amendments that chip away at Obamacare.
Obama noted that the Affordable Care Act will continue to be implemented "no matter what Congress decides to do today."
"You can't shut it down," he said.
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