The political impasse over President Barack Obama's health care law continues on Capitol Hill, after Congress missed a midnight deadline to extend federal funding. The Democratically-controlled Senate has rejected a last minute measure by House Republicans, and both sides are blaming the other for shutting down major parts of the U.S. government.

Shortly after midnight, President Barack Obama sent a taped message to members of the U.S. military to reassure them that he signed a measure passed by both the House and Senate to make sure they will get paid, even though, he said Congress has not done its job.

“It has failed to pass a budget. And as a result, much of our government must now shut down until Congress funds it again,” the president said.

In Washington, iconic monuments such as the Lincoln Memorial and museums are closed, and national parks are closed across the country. Some 800,000 federal workers have been furloughed, and many are reporting to work today only to receive a notice that they must clear off their desks and go home until further notice.

As the drama played out on Capitol Hill past midnight, the House passed a last minute measure to request a special House-Senate conference committee to resolve differences between the two parties on how to fund the government. Three times, the House passed a funding bill, but tied it to a delay or defunding of President Obama’s signature health care law, supported by Democrats.

Senate Majority leader Harry Reid was not enthusiastic of the House action.

“We like to resolve issues, but we will not go to conference with a gun to our head. They want to go to conference on the CR. Madame President, that closes government. They want to close government. This is all a subterfuge,” he said.

Republican House Speaker John Boehner spoke on the House floor, giving his impression of his phone call with President Obama.

“I talked to the president earlier tonight: ‘I am not going to negotiate. I am not going to negotiate, I am not going to do this.’ Well, I would say to the president, this is not about me. And it is not about Republicans here in Congress. It is about fairness to the American people,” he said.

All eyes will be on Speaker Boehner as the drama continues Tuesday, with some members of his Republican caucus saying he should give in, and just pass a straightforward funding bill to re-open the federal government. But other more conservative members say it is worth it to stand up for their conviction that the health care law will hurt the economy.

Despite Republican efforts to block it, a new phase of the health care law goes into effect Tuesday, and millions of Americas have the chance to go online to sign up for health insurance.

Source: VOA News