Mike Johanns Applauds Florida Court Ruling On Unconstitutionality Of Health Care Bill

WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) today expressed support for the ruling by a U.S. District Court in Florida that the health care law enacted last year is unconstitutional. Last November, Johanns joined 31 of his colleagues in filing a legal brief challenging the law's constitutionality. "I strongly believe that Congress does not have the authority to force individuals to buy a product, as the health care law does, and that is exactly what the District Court has ruled today," Johanns said. "There is a reason we teach schoolchildren at a young age about the ideas of checks and balances and limited government.

Congress does not have unlimited power. I'm pleased to see the Court has provided a necessary check on Congressional overreach."

TEXT CREDIT: Senator Johanns Washington, D.C. Office: 404 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Tel: (202) 224-4224 Fax: (202) 228-0436 Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. ET

IMAGE CREDIT: This United States Congress image is in the public domain. This may be because it is an official Congressional portrait, because it was taken by an official employee of the Congress, or because it has been released into the public domain and posted on the official websites of a member of Congress. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image is in the public domain

Spencer Bachus statement regarding Florida Court ruling federal health care law is unconstitutional

WASHINGTON (January 31, 2011) – Congressman Spencer Bachus (AL-6) today issued the following statement regarding the ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Roger Vinson in Pensacola, Florida that the individual mandate to purchase health insurance under the new federal health care law is unconstitutional. Bachus submitted an amicus brief in the case that supported the challenge to the law. “All along, I have held that the mandate forcing individual Americans to buy health insurance is an intrusion into personal liberty and a violation of our constitutional principles. The ruling in Florida is another validation of the irreparable flaws contained in the legislation hastily passed by Congress last year.

The Republican majority in the House has properly voted to repeal this bad law. It is already causing harm to consumers, small businesses, and our economy. The damage will get even worse unless we stop it and then work together on common sense reforms that address the issues in our health care system without having the government running everything and spending uncontrollably.”

Spencer Bachus amicus brief in PDF FORMAT

TEXT CREDIT: bachus.house.gov Washington Office 2246 Rayburn Building Washington, DC 20515 (p) 202-225-4921 (f) 202-225-2082

IMAGE CREDIT: This United States Congress image is in the public domain. This may be because it is an official Congressional portrait, because it was taken by an official employee of the Congress, or because it has been released into the public domain and posted on the official websites of a member of Congress. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image is in the public domain.