Press Release

The federal court today struck a blow for healthcare freedom and the U.S. Constitution in finding the entire Obamacare bill unconstitutional, according to House Republican Conference Secretary John Carter, a former Texas judge for two decades before coming to Congress.

"This decision confirms what critics said of this very bad legislation before it passed," says Carter. "Congress does not have the constitutional authority to order individual citizens to purchase services or products, as the Commerce Clause does not overrule the rest of the Constitution."

27 of 50 states have now challenged the constitutionality of Obamacare in federal courts, and today's decision by Judge Roger Vinson of Federal District Court in Pensacola, Florida reinforces and expands last month's decision by Judge Henry E. Hudson in Richmond, Virginia, which found the individual mandate in the bill in violation of the Constitution.

"This decision will of course be appealed, and the Supreme Court will ultimately issue the final ruling," says Carter. "But based on the facts of the case and the Constitution, I believe that final decision will be to uphold these rulings of Judges Hudson and Vinson. In the meantime, I look forward to our Conference continuing to work to pass bipartisan healthcare reforms that are broadly supported and in compliance with the U.S. Constitution."