With a shutdown looming, the cuts included in the continuing resolution that would fund the federal government for the current fiscal year offer insights into what Republicans view as the measure's soft spots. Still, Dems are holding the line.  

NPR's SHOTS Blog: GOP Counts The Ways To Defund Health Law
Did House Republicans keep their promise to defund the health care overhaul as part of their bill to cut more than $60 billion from the federal budget for the rest of the fiscal year? You betcha. ... Now you may be thinking, well, this particular bill isn't going anywhere, since the Senate has already said it won't vote for cuts as deep as the House is demanding ... [b]ut it's worth a look at some of these other GOP health amendments, not only to get a peek at the party's strategy going forward for the rest of the year, but to get an idea where Republicans think the health measure's soft spots are that could win over some wavering Democrats (Rovner, 2/22).

Politico Pro: Shutdown Talkers Mum On Health
The anniversary of President Barack Obama signing the health care law is March 23. The big question – which will be answered in the next few weeks – is whether the government will be open that day. To listen to the Democrats right now, you might never know that the House continuing resolution has nine different amendments to defund the health care law. They're talking about how deep the cuts are and how the Senate will never accept it. In a conference call with reporters Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Sen. Chuck Schumer singled out cuts to programs such as college financial aid, local police funding, and FBI and border patrol resources (Nather, 2/23).