Florida district court Judge Roger Vinson ruled part of the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional Monday, becoming the second judge to do so in the past two months.

Judge Vinson ruled the individual mandate portion of the law, which outlines penalties or taxes on those who do not obtain health insurance coverage, as unconstitutional. Other federal judges have upheld that part of the law.

Florida is joined by 25 other states in the lawsuit.

Full story to follow.

Florida district court Judge Roger Vinson is expected to issue a ruling Monday in the lawsuit against the Affordable Care Act, in which Florida is joined by 25 other states.

Judge Vinson, a Reagan appointee, has hinted he will declare at least a portion of the law -- the individual mandate outlining penalties for those who do not obtain health insurance -- unconstitutional, as a judge in Virginia did in December.

U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Plantation, will not seek the Republican nomination for president or vice president in 2012. The GOP field is wide open, but no one was asking about the freshman congressman's presidential aspirations -- until he was interviewed Saturday at the Conservative Republican Forum.

"Well, of course not," West said in response.

South Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, demanded that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak respond to mass protests by holding democratic elections.

The Egyptian people need to be afforded a peaceful venue to express their will, said Ros-Lehtinen. "Mr. Mubarak should listen to the demands of the Egyptian people for freedom and immediately schedule legitimate, democratic, internationally-recognized elections.

Florida Republican U.S. Rep. John Mica, the new chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said that he had little faith in the Transportation Security Agencys (TSA) plans to reduce its private contracted screeners. Instead, Mica said the TSA needed to reduce the size of its own work force.

While people across the state and nation wait for U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson of the Northern District of Florida to release a decision on the constitutional challenge launched by Florida against the federal health care law backed by President Barack Obama, Florida Republican U.S. Rep. David Rivera offered his take on the matter.

Rep. Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, the incoming House speaker who is currently chairing the House Redistricting Committee, unveiled a new website designed to include the public in the cumbersome, chaotic and often confusing process of drawing up new seats at the legislative and congressional levels.

Florida Republican Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, offered her thoughts on the events in Egypt late last week.

"For far too long the democratic hopes of the Egyptian people have been suppressed. Their cries for freedom can no longer be silenced, she said. "I am deeply concerned about the Egyptian government's heavy-handed response seeking to silence the Egyptian people. It is imperative that all parties involved avoid violence.

On Friday, a day after announcing his committee assignments, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio named Cesar Conda as his chief of staff.