Sen. Ted Cruz's effort to defund the nation's three-year-old health law is getting off to a shaky start.
The Republican lawmaker from Texas tried to block action on some unrelated items in the Senate on Monday, then quickly backed off. He told reporters there would be time later in the week to debate health care.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has arranged for an initial test vote Wednesday on House passed-legislation that would avoid a partial government shutdown on Oct. 1 while simultaneously defunding the health care law.
A second key vote is set for later this week as Democrats seek to keep the health care law intact and Cruz and other Republicans resist.
Reid says any bill defunding Obama's health care law is "dead on arrival" in the Senate.
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