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Washington, Jun 28 - Congressman Adam Smith (WA-09) released the following statement on the Supreme Court's decision to uphold the Affordable Care Act:

"I’m pleased the Supreme Court has upheld the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act.  This law is the best available step forward for our health care system that is in dire need of reform.

"The Affordable Care Act will help nearly 30 million uninsured Americans obtain health insurance and will cut our deficit by more than $1 trillion in the long-term with mechanisms in place to curb fraudulent and wasteful medical spending.  It gives Americans the promise of better care by keeping health care and insurance providers accountable for the well being of their patients. The law has also established free preventative care and has empowered states to create new and more efficient methods to deliver the highest quality options for health care.

"The problems with our current health care system will not disappear, and if we do not continue to make decisions in the best interest of all Americans, it will only get worse. I am disappointed that attorney generals across this country including Robert McKenna, decided to waste precious state dollars to fight expanding access to affordable and quality health care for all Americans instead of working to improve our broken health insurance system. Instead of challenging parts of the law that will only move us closer to ensuring all Americans have the health care they need, we should strengthen the provisions that increase efficiencies and decrease costs, and modify sections that would be most burdensome to Americans.

"Maintaining our antiquated, inefficient health care system that has drained our economy and leaves millions without health care is no longer an option. Congress must now work to continue finding ways to improve our health care system by putting the health and well being of Americans first. "