Rick Scott Cheers Supreme Court for Hearing Health-Care Challenge

Gov. Rick Scott issued a statement late on Monday with his thoughts on the U.S. Supreme Court announcing it would hear the constitutional challenge launched by 26 states and the NFIB against the federal health-care law backed by President Barack Obama.

Todays news that the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments next March in the Florida lawsuit against Obamacare is a tremendous step in the fight against the job-killing federal mandate, Scott said. "With this news, I am hopeful that Obamacare will be repealed by the end of 2012 and we can put a stop to further tax increases, additional job losses, the inability of many Americans to keep their existing health insurance, and the rationing of health care, all of which Obamacare threatens to do."

Scott offered praise to Attorney General Pam Bondi and former Attorney General Bill McCollum who launched the challenge in 2010. Scott defeated McCollum in a contentious Republican primary with McCollum sulking in his tent and refusing to endorse Scott in the general election.

I applaud Attorney General Pam Bondi for leading the effort to protect Floridians freedom to make their own health-care choices and I am also grateful that former Attorney General Bill McCollum had the foresight to initiate this lawsuit, said Scott. I look forward to the day we can move past this big-government mandate and begin making the meaningful and constitutional changes that are necessary to improve our health care system.