House Republicans unveil partial list of budget cuts, advance plan to offer amendments to 'defund' health law

The National Journal reports on speculation that the GOP decision to advance a "clean" continuing resolution may signal that the Republican leadership is trying to move away from the partisan fight surrounding efforts to repeal the health law.

Bloomberg: House Republicans Seek To Cut Funds For Environment, Energy, Health Care
House Republicans want to reduce the U.S. deficit by ending more than 60 programs, including President Barack Obama's high-speed rail initiative, and cutting funds for the environment, energy, health care and law enforcement. After releasing a partial list of proposed cuts yesterday, Republicans are scheduled today to spell out their full plan to trim at least $35 billion from the deficit, which is projected to reach $1.5 trillion this year. Republicans say the measure also will bar the Obama administration from spending any money to implement the 2010 health-care overhaul (Dodge and Faler, 2/10).

National Journal: Efforts To Defund Reform Law Coming In Amendments
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., confirmed on Tuesday that Republicans intend to use the upcoming fiscal 2011 continuing resolution to ban discretionary money from being used to implement the health care reform law, but that the effort is likely to come in the form of individual Republican amendments. The shift toward offering a "clean" continuing resolution to reduce spending without directly wading into repealing the health care law could signal House Republican leadership is trying to move away from political battles over the health care law (McCarthy, 2/9).