White House: Obama Would Veto 'Reckless and Irresponsible' House GOP Bill Aimed at Delaying Obamacare

The White House says President Barack Obama would veto House Republican legislation that would delay much of the president's health care overhaul for a year and cancel a tax on medical devices, the Associated Press reports.

"Republicans have tried and failed to defund or delay the health care law more than 40 times, and they know this demand is reckless and irresponsible," said the statement from White House spokesman Jay Carney, CNN notes, adding that Obama would not negotiate on Obamacare or spending issues "under threats of a government shutdown that will hurt our economy."

U.S. House Speaker John Boehner leaves a meeting of Republican members of the House of Representatives at the U.S. Capitol on September 28, 2013 in Washington. U.S. President Barack Obama warned his opponents in Congress that he would not back down in the face of their threat to shut down the government over a budget dispute. (Credit: AFP/Getty Images)

“The American people don’t want a government shut down and they don’t want ObamaCare,” said a joint statement Saturday from House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA), Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and GOP Conference Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA).

“That’s why later today, the House will vote on two amendments to the Senate-passed continuing resolution that will keep the government open and stop as much of the president’s health care law as possible,” it continued.

The Democratic-run Senate approved legislation preventing a government shutdown and left the health care overhaul. The White House says the House bill would advance a narrow ideological agenda and threaten the economy and push the government toward a shutdown, the AP says.

Here's a report from CNN:

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