As soon as federal Judge Roger Vinson of the U.S. District Court in Pensacola struck down the federal health care law backed by President Barack Obama as unconstitutional -- and Florida again became the political center of attention -- the Sunshine States congressional delegation broke on party lines in their reaction to the decision.
Florida Republicans -- including newly inaugurated U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio -- cheered the decision Monday and urged the Democrat-controlled Senate to follow the example of the Republican-controlled House to pass a measure repealing the law. While the House passed the repeal measure, it is not expected to pass the Senate.
Todays ruling marks an important step toward undoing a health care law that creates uncertainty for job creators, threatens Medicare as Floridians know it and lays the foundation for government-run health care, said Rubio. I commend Attorney General Pam Bondi for her leadership role in preventing Obamacares unconstitutional federal health insurance mandate from becoming a burden to Floridians. I also thank former Attorney General Bill McCollum for initiating this lawsuit under his watch.
Even before Obamacare passed, it was clear to the American people that this legislation should not become law, added Rubio. It was clear to the American people who stood up at town halls and ballot boxes across the country and voiced their opinions against it. It was clear to the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service, which raised the very concerns about its constitutionality that the federal judge in Pensacola ruled on today. Unfortunately, none of these warning signs compelled Obamacares supporters to take a hard look at the error of their ways.
Obamacare was a mistake, insisted Rubio. However, we cannot leave this decision in the hands of judges alone. The Senate Democrat leadership should follow the Houses lead and hold an up-or-down vote to repeal Obamacare. The optimal outcome for Florida and the American people is to repeal the federal health care law and replace it with common-sense reforms that will lower health care costs and get more Americans insured.
With an eye on taking on Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012, Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Connie Mack praised Vinsons decision and urged the Senate to follow the House in backing the repeal.
Todays ruling certifies the reason why the Senate should repeal Obamacare in its entirety, said Mack. With a federal judge in our home state ruling that the entirety of Obamacare is unconstitutional, Floridians are looking to both U.S. Senators Nelson and Rubio to do the right thing for the taxpayers and use all procedural tools to bring the repeal of Obamacare to the Senate floor and end this overreach by President Obama, the federal government and special interests.
U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney, who once taught constitutional law at West Point, praised Vinson for raising the individual mandate in the health care law as unconstitutional.
Judge Vinson confirmed what Ive said all along the requirement to purchase health insurance exceeds congressional power under the Constitution, said Rooney.Never in our nations history has the federal government forced every citizen to purchase a product or service from a private company simply as a requirement of being a citizen.This law is a blatant abuse of the federal governments power, and it has no basis in the letter or the intent of the Constitution.
While Rooney backed the repeal measure, he said that health care reform remained a priority.
Health care reform doesnt have to throw the Constitution out the window and force unreasonable, costly mandates on individuals and small-business owners, Rooney said.We need patient-centered reforms to bring down costs, like instituting medical liability reform and allowing small businesses and families to pool across state lines. We must make sure that every American, particularly those with pre-existing conditions, has access to quality, affordable health insurance.
Democrats from Florida reinforced their contention, made during the repeal debate in the House, that the health care law was needed, especially as the economy remained in poor shape.
"The American people want Congress to focus on jobs and the economy, rather than the political spectacle of repealing health care reform," said Democratic Congressman Ted Deutch. "Unlike in today's decision, the argument that health care reform somehow exceeds the authority of Congress to regulate interstate commerce has already been rejected by twelve federal judges. Individuals who forgo basic health coverage are in fact participating in interstate commerce by forcing their fellow taxpayers to foot the bill for their expensive emergency room care. Congress has the authority to slow the premium hikes and rising costs that are squeezing our businesses, families, and health care providers across America.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
