Florida's Freshmen in Congress Break on Party Lines over Health Care Ruling
Submitted by Kevin Derby on February 1, 2011 - 10:08am
Like the rest of the congressional delegation, the freshmen from Florida broke on party lines over federal judge Roger Vinsons decision to rule the health care law backed by President Barack Obamaunconstitutional. The new Republicans backed the decision while Democratic U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson opposed it.
Todays decision reaffirms that the principles of our Constitution still matter and that they cannot be cast aside at the whim of Washington bureaucrats, said Republican U.S. Rep. Steve Southerland on Monday. Florida has joined with more than 25 other states to reject the job-destroying health care law in part because the federal government has no right to penalize freedom-loving Americans who choose not to purchase insurance.
Furthermore, we simply cannot afford $500 billion in new taxes, $525 billion in Medicare cuts, and a $700 billion increase in the deficit over the next decade, added Southerland. I hope that Floridas challenge stands upon appeal, allowing Congress to continue efforts to replace this unconstitutional, unaffordable and unnecessary law with cost-effective reforms that empower patients and their doctors.
Wilson sharply disagreed.
Todays ruling is misguided and without merit, she insisted. Health care reform is a critical lifeline for Americans with pre-existing conditions who were routinely denied coverage by insurance companies, and seniors who previously fell victim to the Medicare prescription drug donut hole. The law is fully constitutional under the Commerce Clause and a wide range of scholars, lawyers, and medical professionals from across the political spectrum have pushed for the legislation to be upheld.
South Floridians need these protections now and they should not be stripped away, added Wilson. I look forward to an appeals court overturning this decision and am encouraged that todays ruling fell short of directing the government to stop implementing these critical reforms.
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