Yesterday, Speaker John Boehner announced that the House would vote on a bill that would defund Obamacare. According to FOX News, the bill would strip funding or possibly lead to a government shutdown.

The move would effectively condition the approval of the spending bill on ObamaCare being de-funded, or else risk a government shutdown when funding runs out at the end of the month.

But Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, one of the most vocal supporters of the “de-fund ObamaCare” push, startled his House colleagues when he released a written statement Wednesday afternoon that appeared to acknowledge the bill will probably fail in the Senate.

“Today's announcement that the House will vote to defund ObamaCare is terrific news,” Cruz said, in a press release from him, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah.

“Harry Reid will no doubt try to strip the defund language from the continuing resolution, and right now he likely has the votes to do so. At that point, House Republicans must stand firm, hold their ground, and continue to listen to the American people.”

House Republicans are concerned that this kind of approach effectively pins the entire effort on the House.

"We expect them to stand and filibuster like Rand Paul," fumed one senior House GOP aide.

"It's time to put on the big boy pants," said one House Republican who didn't want to be identified. "Maybe this will wean us of the bed-wetters."

A senior GOP leadership aide said they don't expect this dissension to blow up the bill in the House on Friday. But they are concerned about where things are going now if the GOP senators don't defend their turf.

Do you think Republicans will be able to defund Obamacare or is it too late? Let us know your thoughts in today's KFYO Poll of the Day.

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