Rep. Lankford to CNN’s Jake Tapper about Obamacare: “That’s currently off the table, we understand that.”

Ahead of the GOP leadership meeting with Pres. Obama, CNN’s Jake Tapper spoke with Rep. James Lankford (R-OK) about the federal government shutdown and current negotiations.

Please Credit — CNN’s JAKE TAPPER

TAPPER:  But you didn’t mention defunding Obamacare, is that just off the table now?

LANKFORD:  That’s currently off the table, we understand that.  I can tell you that’s where my constituents are.  Overwhelmingly they’re at a spot to say they don’t want this law to go into effect at all.

But that’s obviously not going to happen at this point.  So we said, OK, let’s do this.  Same thing I mentioned in that USA Today op-ed piece, let’s have the first year, the penalties, not apply to people if they make a mistake or they don’t want to do it this first year.

We’ve already seen the problems on the Web site.  This law requires you go on this Web site, you buy insurance, and it’s in place.  There are obviously going to be problems with that, not just for the next couple of weeks, but it looks like for the next couple of months as they get this resolved.

Take the penalties off the table for the first year, and apply the effects of Obamacare the same to members of Congress and the White House as it does to everyday citizens.

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