Marco Rubio Urges GOP to Unite to Defund Obama's Health Care Law

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., continued his attacks on President Barack Obamas federal health care law this week, insisting Republicans join him in defunding it. Rubio also offered a warning on what could happen if the GOP doesnt stand together on the issue.

Were the ones that are saying that were prepared to fund the government, Rubio said on Hugh Hewitts radio show on Wednesday. The president is the one thats saying hes not prepared to fund the government unless it funds Obamacare. And so the fundamental question that hell need to answer and his allies in the Congress will need to answer is: Is Obamacare more important than the country? Is Obamacare more important than funding defense? Because I think thats a false choice. I dont think that they should put us in that position that theyre putting us in now, which says, That unless the budget funds Obamacare we are willing to go to a showdown.

Rubio said attempts to defund the law needed the full support of Republicans.

I think thats the critical question right now: can we hold enough Republicans? And I do think its a little bit discouraging that we have to convince our colleagues that this is an issue thats worth going to the mat on, that this is an issue worth drawing a line in the sand, Rubio said. The question Ive been asking today on the floor -- we had a pretty extensive time to speak about it -- and the question that I asked is: If Republicans are not willing to draw a line in the sand on Obamacare, then what issue are we willing to draw a line in the sand on? I cannot think of a contemporary issue that is more damaging to the country and more important for us to solve than Obamacare. Because every single day as it is being implemented, we are hearing horror stories of what its doing to jobs. What its doing to middle class paychecks. In my home state of Florida, the insurance commissioner announced that rates on individual policies could go up from 30-to-40 percent. I mean, this is just devastating stuff. If were not willing to fight on that, what are we willing to fight on?