By Allison Sherry

WASHINGTON — Republican Reps. Cory Gardner and Doug Lamborn successfully squeaked their amendments through the continuing resolution, a measure to fund the federal government that passed the House of Representatives at 5 a.m. Saturday.

Of more than 400 amendments filed by Democrats and Republicans, most were left on the cutting room floor in the debate about how to cut more than $60 billion.

But Gardner’s amendment, which will strip federal funding to states that are trying to implement health insurance exchanges as part of the new health care law, passed. So did Lamborn's amendment to defund the annual $430 million allocation to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

“The health care bill that passed two years ago I wanted to repeal, I supported the repeal,” Gardner said, inbetween town halls on the eastern plains Monday. “The Senate has refused to take it up and this is just another attempt on stopping the government takeover of health care.”

Lamborn said Monday, “we can either save a program or save the nation.”

“Given the deep financial crisis we face with a record $1.6 trillion annual deficit, we must eliminate all nonessential government spending, including government broadcasting,” he said.

Choosing not to call out Lamborn, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting instead thanked the mostly Democrat House members — including Rep. Diana Degette of Denver — for supporting them.

“We will continue to work with these Representatives and with members of the Senate to educate them about the importance of the federal investment in public media,” said spokeswoman Nicole Mezlo.

It’s unclear what will happen with both these measures. The continuing resolution heads to the Democrat-controlled Senate next week where members will likely add money back in — particularly dollars funding the health care law.

Talk of that has sparked threats on both sides of a government shut down.

The House and Senate are back in Colorado this week for the President’s Day recess.

Link to Original Article: http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2011/02/22/beltway-breakfast-gardner-lamborn-get-ideas-passed-in-house-resolution-to-fund-federal-government/23448/