Washington, DC -- Congressman Eliot Engel (D-NY-17) said he was greatly disappointed in the ruling handed down today by the 11^th Circuit Court of Appeals, which singled out the provision in the Affordable Care Act requiring Americans to acquire health care coverage.  Rep. Engel is a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Health.

“This ruling is part of Republican efforts to kill this law and return to the system which left Americans without adequate care, at the mercy of insurance companies and was on its way to bankrupting our country.  This latest decision comes just weeks after the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled, in a bipartisan manner, that the individual mandate was constitutional.  Between this lawsuit spearheaded by several Republican State Attorneys General, and the seemingly endless hearings and votes held by the Republican Majority to repeal the Affordable Care Act, it is clear that the Republicans are crusading to put insurance companies back in charge of our health care.

“History is filled with examples of failed attempts to overturn landmark legislation – Civil Rights, Social Security, and others – as the last ditch effort of the status quo to stamp out badly needed social change.  Already, middle class families have begun to reap the rewards of this law.  It has offered small businesses a tax break to cover their workers, allowed young adults to stay on their parents’ plans until age 26, and provided assistance to seniors struggling to pay prescription drug costs.  It has ended denial of coverage to people with pre-existing conditions.  Fighting the details of this law is a battle against these provisions and against the well-being of the American people.

“I call on the courts to uphold the legislation, which was enacted into law under the democratic process set forth in the United States Constitution.  I call on my Democratic colleagues in Congress to resist all attempts to repeal these benefits.  Americans will not only be healthier thanks to this law, but this will assist our economy as well.  I believe it is necessary, and it is Constitutional.   My Republican colleagues should stop fighting this law, and work with Democrats to focus on legislation to put people back to work.”

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