Even as the White House quickly rejected it based on leaked details, House conservatives are calling a proposal unveiled by Speaker John Boehner at this morning’s conference meeting a “working document” and saying they expect several additions to enhance the leadership’s bid.
“That was a framework from which to build from,” says Representative Tom Graves of Georgia, one of the leading architects of the push to defund Obamacare in the House.
“We gave a bunch of different options” in the meeting, Representative Mick Mulvaney of South Carolina said of House conservatives. “The bill probably will end up being tweaked a little bit before it gets to rules.”
Members described a vigorous, “family discussion” in the meeting, which went one hour beyond its scheduled time.
At one point, Representative Joe Barton, who has previously complained about proposals to end a special Obamacare subsidy for Congress, demanded that “anyone who wasn’t elected” leave the room, insisting that staff depart.