A federal judge today struck down U.S. President Barack Obama’s controversial ObamaCare law, declaring parts of the health care bill unconstitutional. More specifically, the judge sided with 20 states – including Georgia – in ruling that Obama can’t force Americans to buy health insurance if they don’t want it.
U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson agreed with the states that the new law violates people’s rights by forcing them to buy health insurance by 2014 or face penalties. He went a step further than a previous ruling against the law, declaring the entire thing unconstitutional if the insurance requirement does not hold up.
Attorneys for the administration had argued that the states did not have standing to challenge the law and that the case should be dismissed.
Justice Department spokeswoman Tracy Schmaler said Monday the department strongly disagrees with Vinson’s ruling and intends to appeal.
“There is clear and well-established legal precedent that Congress acted within its constitutional authority in passing this law and we are confident that we will ultimately prevail on appeal,” she said in a statement.
