Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson Issues Statement on the Appeals Courts’ Decisions on Affordable Care Act Tax Credits

Washington, DC – (Tuesday, July 22, 2014) –Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson released the following statement on the rulings on the Affordable Care Act’s premium tax credits from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit, and the U.S Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit:

“Today’s D.C. Circuit Court’s ruling that subsidies and tax credits under the Affordable Care Act are only available to qualifying enrollees who accessed health insurance coverage through a state-run exchange creates uncertainty for the tens of thousands Texans who have been able to receive healthcare coverage under the Affordable Care Act through the federal health insurance marketplace. This decision, if upheld, proves to be another example of the importance of expanding Medicaid coverage in the state of Texas and highlights the need to create a state exchange,” said Congresswoman Johnson as she reviewed the D.C. Circuit’s ruling.

The Congresswoman was confident that the more prudent decision by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, which held that subsidies were permissible in either state- or federally-run exchanges, would be upheld. She noted that: “The unanimous decision by the 4th Circuit Court reflects the true legislative intent behind the law, which is to end discriminatory practices and enable millions of Americans to access affordable health care” said Congresswoman Johnson.  “I am glad that this court acted to protect the right to affordable healthcare for citizens of every state, even in those instances where the state failed to do so.”

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U.S. Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson is the ranking member of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the highest-ranking Texan on the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure. She represents the 30th Congressional District of Texas, which includes Downtown Dallas, Fair Park, Kessler Park, Old East Dallas, Pleasant Grove, South Dallas & South Oak Cliff; all of Cedar Hill, DeSoto, Duncanville, Hutchins, Lancaster & Wilmer and parts of Ferris, Glenn Heights, South Grand Prairie, Oak Lawn, Ovilla, Uptown/Victory Park and West Dallas.