Rep. Kinzinger Statement on the SCOTUS Ruling of the President's Health Care Law

Statement

The United States Supreme Court (SCOTUS) ruled that the individual mandate violates the Commerce Clause. However, the Court ruled that the individual mandate is constitutional under the taxing power.

U.S. Representative Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following statement on today's Supreme Court decision on the constitutionality of President Obama's health care law:

"Since its passage, the Affordable Care Act has caused deep divisions over its constitutionality. While I respect the ruling of the U.S. Supreme Court, I am extremely disappointed that the Court has given unrestricted authority to the federal government to interfere in the personal lives of American families. This ruling upholds an additional 2.5 percent tax on hardworking Americans on top of the tax increases that already exist in this health care law.

"I have voted 40 times to fully repeal the government takeover of health care, block the individual provisions, or defund certain programs. The question we must ask ourselves now is whether President Obama's newly designed health care system is feasible. The Administration promised that the legislation, if passed, would control rising health care costs while deficit neutral. However, we now know those claims were false.

"The path toward affordable health care starts with allowing Americans to buy insurance across state lines; providing reduced premiums for individuals and small businesses; protecting seniors and those with pre-existing conditions; allowing younger Americans to remain on their parent's insurance; enacting real medical liability reform, which is a key element to lowering costs; and creating reforms that will protect the doctor-patient relationship.

"We must work expeditiously to enact real reforms that reduce bureaucracy, does not bypass free market principles, and provide Americans with improved and affordable options when choosing their health care."

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