Harkin Statement on Supreme Court’s Decision to Consider Affordable Care Act Case

WASHINGTON – Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, released the following statement on today’s announcement that the United States Supreme Court will review the challenges to the Affordable Care Act: 

“I’m pleased that the Supreme Court has decided to promptly resolve conflicting lower court decisions concerning the Affordable Care Act.  These politically-motivated lawsuits are a waste of judicial resources, and an unnecessary distraction from the important work of moving ahead with implementing the health reform law.

“I am confident that the Court will uphold the Act’s constitutionality, affirming the common sense notion that, as a Republican-appointed D.C. Circuit judge wrote last week, the Constitution gives Congress the power to ‘forge national solutions to national problems.’  Virtually all Americans will use health care, whether or not they choose to purchase insurance.  Thus, the Constitution gives Congress the power to make that marketplace fairer and more affordable.  The Affordable Care Act does just that. 

“I look forward to the Court ending this period of legal uncertainty, allowing us to focus on expanding coverage and improving health care quality for all Americans.”

###