On June 25, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a 6-3 opinion in King v. Burwell fending off another major challenge to the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare).
R-70....14-114  (Oral arguments heard on March 4, 2015)

REACTIONS TO SUPREME COURT RULING
ON KING v. BURWELL

PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES (alpha)  | MORE: SUPPORTERS | OPPONENTS
Democrats first, since that side won....

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Cruz for President

HOUSTON, Texas -- U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, released the following statement regarding the Supreme Court’s decision on King v. Burwell:

“Today’s decision in King v. Burwell is judicial activism, plain and simple. For the second time in just a few years, a handful of unelected judges has rewritten the text of Obamacare in order to impose this failed law on millions of Americans. The first time, the Court ignored federal law and magically transformed a statutory ‘penalty’ into a ‘tax.’ Today, these robed Houdinis transmogrified a ‘federal exchange’ into an exchange ‘established by the State.’

“As Justice Scalia rightfully put it, ‘Words no longer have meaning if an Exchange that is not established by a State is ‘established by the State.'' He also said, ‘We should start calling this law SCOTUSCare’ – I agree.

“If this were a bankruptcy case, or any other case of ordinary statutory interpretation, the result would have been 9-0, with the Court unanimously reversing the Obama administration’s illegal actions. But instead, politics intervened.

“For nakedly political reasons, the Supreme Court willfully ignored the words that Congress wrote, and instead read into the law their preferred policy outcome. These judges have joined with President Obama in harming millions of Americans. Unelected judges have once again become legislators, and bad ones at that. They are lawless, and they hide their prevarication in legalese. Our government was designed to be one of laws, not of men, and this transparent distortion is disgraceful.

“At the same time, crocodile tears are flooding our nation’s capital today over the Supreme Court’s decision to illegally rewrite Obamacare, which has been a disaster since its inception. But one day of faux outrage from the Washington Cartel won’t fool the millions of courageous conservatives across our country. They know the Republican leadership in Washington is quietly celebrating the Court’s decision. If they believe this issue is now settled so they don’t have to address it, they are sorely mistaken.

“Every GOP candidate for the Republican nomination should know that this decision makes the 2016 election a referendum on the full repeal of Obamacare.

“I have made repeal of this disastrous law a top priority since the first day I arrived in the Senate and have made its repeal central to my campaign. Any candidate not willing to do the same—and campaign on it every day—should step aside.

“The Court adopted the IRS’s blatantly unlawful reading of the statute to make subsidies available to individuals on federal exchanges, when Congress expressly provided the opposite.

“After today’s ruling, Obamacare will now be responsible for imposing illegal taxes on more than 11 million individuals and for burdening hundreds of thousands of businesses with illegal penalties on their workers, killing jobs, and further slowing economic growth. President Obama’s health care law remains deeply unpopular and is harming countless Americans by increasing costs and worsening the quality of care.

“I remain fully committed to the repeal of Obamacare—every single word of it. And, in 2017, we will do exactly that.”

Office of Sen. Ted Cruz

ICYMI: Sen. Cruz: The Supreme Court Is Complicit in Imposing
Illegal Taxes on Millions of Americans

Delivers floor speech on King v. Burwell decision

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today spoke on the Senate floor in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s King v. Burwell decision.
 
View Sen. Cruz’s full remarks here. See excerpts below:
 
“Our government was designed to be one of laws, not of men,” Sen. Cruz said. “And this transparent distortion is disgraceful. These justices are not behaving as umpires calling balls and strikes. They have joined a team, and it is a team that is hurting Americans across this country. Obamacare is the biggest job killer in America. Millions of Americans have lost their jobs, have been forced into part-time work, have lost their health insurance, have lost their doctors. Millions of Americans have seen their health insurance premiums skyrocket, and it is a direct result of President Obama, of Democrats in the United States Congress, and of lawless judges at the United States Supreme Court who have joined the team of the Obama administration. If those justices want to become legislators, I invite them to resign and run for office. That's the appropriate place to write laws: on this floor, not from that courtroom….
 
“The Court adopted and put its stamp of approval on the IRS’s blatantly unlawful reading of the statute to make subsidies and taxes applicable to individuals on federal exchanges when Congress explicitly provided the opposite. Jonathan Gruber famously said Obamacare was built on exploiting the stupidity of the American people. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court is now complicit in that deception…. After today's ruling, Obamacare will now be responsible for imposing illegal taxes on more than 11 million individuals and for burdening hundreds of thousands of businesses with illegal penalties on their workers, killing jobs, and further slowing economic growth.
 
“If you're a young person right now, you come out of school, you got student loans up to your eyeballs, you're struggling, you don't know if you're going to get a job, the dismal Obama economy means your future is bleak. You have no hope or optimism about actually beginning a career, getting skills, moving towards the American dream. Well today, the United States Supreme Court has joined arm-in-arm with President Obama and the IRS has illegally imposed taxes on you….
“Mr. President, I remain fully committed to repealing every single word of Obamacare. And mark my words, following the election in 2016, the referendum that we will have, in 2017 this chamber will return and we will repeal every word of Obamacare. We'll bring back economic growth. We'll bring back opportunity. And then we'll pass commonsense health care reform that makes health insurance personal and portable and affordable, that keeps government from getting between us and our doctors. We will recognize that this horrible experiment has failed. And when millions of Americans lose their jobs, are forced into part-time work, lose their health care, lose their doctors, when millions of Americans see their premiums skyrocket, it's incumbent on members of this body, it's incumbent on the federal government to fix the wreckage they caused, to fix the wreckage that the Supreme Court has now embraced lawlessly.”
 
The White House

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT ON THE SUPREME COURT’S RULING OF THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT

Rose Garden 

11:34 A.M. EDT
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Good morning, everybody.  Have a seat.  Five years ago, after nearly a century of talk, decades of trying, a year of bipartisan debate -- we finally declared that in America, health care is not a privilege for a few, but a right for all.
 
Over those five years, as we’ve worked to implement the Affordable Care Act, there have been successes and setbacks.  The setbacks I remember clearly.  (Laughter.)  But as the dust has settled, there can be no doubt that this law is working.  It has changed, and in some cases saved, American lives.  It set this country on a smarter, stronger course.
 
And today, after more than 50 votes in Congress to repeal or weaken this law; after a presidential election based in part on preserving or repealing this law; after multiple challenges to this law before the Supreme Court -- the Affordable Care Act is here to stay.
 
This morning, the Court upheld a critical part of this law -– the part that’s made it easier for Americans to afford health insurance regardless of where you live.  If the partisan challenge to this law had succeeded, millions of Americans would have had thousands of dollars’ worth of tax credits taken from them.  For many, insurance would have become unaffordable again.  Many would have become uninsured again.  Ultimately, everyone’s premiums could have gone up.  America would have gone backwards.  And that’s not what we do.  That’s not what America does.  We move forward.
 
So today is a victory for hardworking Americans all across this country whose lives will continue to become more secure in a changing economy because of this law.
 
If you’re a parent, you can keep your kids on your plan until they turn 26 -- something that has covered millions of young people so far.  That’s because of this law.
 
If you’re a senior, or an American with a disability, this law gives you discounts on your prescriptions -- something that has saved 9 million Americans an average of $1,600 so far.
 
If you’re a woman, you can’t be charged more than anybody else -- even if you’ve had cancer, or your husband had heart disease, or just because you’re a woman.  Your insurer has to offer free preventive services like mammograms.  They can’t place annual or lifetime caps on your care because of this law.
 
Because of this law, and because of today’s decision, millions of Americans who I hear from every single day will continue to receive the tax credits that have given about eight in ten people who buy insurance on the new marketplaces the choice of a health care plan that costs less than $100 a month.
 
And when it comes to preexisting conditions -- someday, our grandkids will ask us if there was really a time when America discriminated against people who get sick.  Because that is something this law has ended for good.  That affects everybody with health insurance -- not just folks who got insurance through the Affordable Care Act.  All of America has protections it didn’t have before. 
 
As the law’s provisions have gradually taken effect, more than 16 million uninsured Americans have gained coverage so far.  Nearly one in three Americans who was uninsured a few years ago is insured today.  The uninsured rate in America is the lowest since we began to keep records.  And that is something we can all be proud of. 
 
Meanwhile, the law has helped hold the price of health care to its slowest growth in 50 years.  If your family gets insurance through your job -- so you’re not using the Affordable Care Act -- you’re still paying about $1,800 less per year on average than you would be if we hadn’t done anything.  By one leading measure, what business owners pay out in wages and salaries is now finally growing faster than what they spend on health insurance.  That hasn’t happened in 17 years -- and that’s good for workers and it’s good for the economy.
 
The point is, this is not an abstract thing anymore.  This is not a set of political talking points.  This is reality.  We can see how it is working.  This law is working exactly as it’s supposed to.  In many ways, this law is working better than we expected it to.  For all the misinformation campaigns, all the doomsday predictions, all the talk of death panels and job destruction, for all the repeal attempts -- this law is now helping tens of millions of Americans. 
 
And they’ve told me that it has changed their lives for the better.  I’ve had moms come up and say, my son was able to see a doctor and get diagnosed, and catch a tumor early, and he’s alive today because of this law.  This law is working.  And it’s going to keep doing just that. 
 
     Five years in, this is no longer about a law.  This is not about the Affordable Care Act as legislation, or Obamacare as a political football.  This is health care in America.
 
     And unlike Social Security or Medicare, a lot of Americans still don’t know what Obamacare is beyond all the political noise in Washington.  Across the country, there remain people who are directly benefitting from the law but don’t even know it.  And that’s okay.  There’s no card that says “Obamacare” when you enroll.  But that’s by design, for this has never been a government takeover of health care, despite cries to the contrary.  This reform remains what it’s always been:  a set of fairer rules and tougher protections that have made health care in America more affordable, more attainable, and more about you -- the consumer, the American people.  It’s working.
 
     And with this case behind us, let’s be clear -- we’ve still got work to do to make health care in America even better.  We’ll keep working to provide consumers with all the tools you need to make informed choices about your care.  We’ll keep working to increase the use of preventive care that avoids bigger problems down the road.  We’ll keep working to boost the steadily improving quality of care in hospitals, and bring down costs even lower, make the system work even better.  Already we’ve seen reductions, for example, in the number of readmissions at hospitals.  That saves our society money, it saves families money, makes people healthier.
 
     We’re making progress.  We’re going to keep working to get more people covered.  I’m going to work as hard as I can to convince more governors and state legislatures to take advantage of the law, put politics aside, and expand Medicaid and cover their citizens.  We’ve still got states out there that, for political reasons, are not covering millions of people that they could be covering, despite the fact that the federal government is picking up the tab.
    
     So we’ve got more work to do.  But what we’re not going to do is unravel what has now been woven into the fabric of America.  And my greatest hope is that rather than keep refighting battles that have been settled again and again and again, I can work with Republicans and Democrats to move forward.  Let’s join together, make health care in America even better.
 
     Three generations ago, we chose to end an era when seniors were left to languish in poverty.  We passed Social Security, and slowly it was woven into the fabric of America and made a difference in the lives of millions of people.  Two generations ago, we chose to end an age when Americans in their golden years didn’t have the guarantee of health care.  Medicare was passed, and it helped millions of people.
 
     This generation of Americans chose to finish the job -- to turn the page on a past when our citizens could be denied coverage just for being sick.  To close the books on a history where tens of millions of Americans had no hope of finding decent, affordable health care; had to hang their chances on fate.  We chose to write a new chapter, where in a new economy, Americans are free to change their jobs or start a business, chase a new idea, raise a family, free from fear, secure in the knowledge that portable, affordable health care is there for us and always will be.  And that if we get sick, we’re not going to lose our home.  That if we get sick, that we’re going to be able to still look after our families.
 
     That’s when America soars -– when we look out for one another.  When we take care of each other.  When we root for one another’s success.  When we strive to do better and to be better than the generation that came before us, and try to build something better for generations to come.  That’s why we do what we do.  That’s the whole point of public service. 
 
     So this was a good day for America.  Let’s get back to work.  (Applause.) 

 

                                       END                11:45 A.M. EDT

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Democratic National Committee

DNC Chair Statement on King v. Burwell Decision

Washington, DC – Today, DNC Chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz released the following statement in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on the Affordable Care Act in King. v. Burwell:
 
“The Affordable Care Act has now withstood two Supreme Court cases, about sixty votes to repeal or undermine it in the House of Representatives, and a presidential election. The debate is settled – the Affordable Care Act is the law of the land.
 
“More than sixteen million Americans have gained access to quality, affordable health care and the uninsured rate is at or near historic lows. The growth of health care spending is slowing and lifetime caps on health insurance benefits are gone. Never again will someone be discriminated against by their insurance company because of a pre-existing condition.
 
“But Republicans keep fighting to take that away from the American people. Their favorite word seems to be ‘repeal.’ Americans don’t want to see their family, friends, and neighbors lose their health insurance.
 
“Today’s decision is a victory for the American people, and Democrats will keep fighting to ensure that every American has access to quality, affordable health care.”

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AFL-CIO

President Trumka Asserts King v. Burwell Decision an Important Victory

Statement by AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka on United States Supreme Court decision in King v. Burwell:

Today’s decision is an important victory for the millions of people who need financial assistance to make health insurance affordable and for everyone committed to improving America’s health care system.

It was always clear the Affordable Care Act was designed to help middle-class and low-income families in every state.  The Court’s decision means the millions of families counting on this financial assistance will not be at the mercy of Republican governors and lawmakers who zealously oppose the Affordable Care Act at every turn.

Now, it is time to move forward. The Affordable Care Act was an important step to expand coverage, but much more needs to be done if we are to achieve quality, affordable health care for all.  We can start by expanding Medicaid for low-income workers in every state and making changes that will protect and strengthen the health coverage workers have fought for on the job.  It’s also past time for Republicans—whether in Congress or the state capitals—to end their repetitive efforts to repeal or damage the Affordable Care Act.

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Americans United for Change

AUFC Lauds SCOTUS ACA Ruling Preserving Health Coverage for Over 8 Million Americans

“Obamacare is Here to Stay, Time for the GOP to Get Over It and Move On”

Washington DC – Hailing it as major victory for America’s health security, Americans United for Change praised the U.S. Supreme Court decision today in favor of the Obama administration in King v. Burwell, upholding the premium tax credits that have helped millions of Americans purchase health coverage through the federal insurance marketplace in the 34 states that have not established their own exchanges.

 

Brad Woodhouse, President, Americans United for Change: “Republicans who have been rooting for the Affordable Care Act to fail since day one have to accept that the law has now been twice affirmed by the Supreme Court as legal and constitutional.  It’s here to stay.  And it’s working.  Over 16 million Americans have gained health coverage under the law, 8.7 million with the help of the tax credits upheld today.  And 10,000 American lives will be saved every year as a result of the high court preserving these subsidies.

The question now is: are the Republicans in Congress and running for President finally ready to throw in the towel on their callous and taxpayer-money-wasting efforts to repeal the law? Their calls for going back to the bad old days of insurance companies kicking people off their plans when they fall ill, charging women higher premiums than men, and denying care to those with pre-existing conditions continue to fall on deaf ears with the voters. A new NYT/CBS survey this week found the highest approval rating for the health law in their polling’s history, with only 31 percent support for repeal.  And the CBO tabulated just how costly a mistake repeal would be: $353 billion added to the deficit and 19 million fewer Americans with insurance. Considering Republicans have yet to put forward a single serious alternative that more than a handful of them would support, it’s past time they admit defeat and let the law continue working to save seniors money on prescriptions, save lives, and save families from worry about going bankrupt over medical bills. Or they can go right on and keep being losers.”

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Correct The Record

Tone-deaf GOP Hopefuls React to SCOTUS Ruling

Today, the Supreme Court ruled to uphold a key provision of the Affordable Care Act that provides nationwide health care subsidies, preserving access to health care for millions of Americans.

Tone-deaf Republican presidential hopefuls, who would prefer the law be repealed or ruled unconstitutional, gave statements in opposition to the Supreme Court’s decision.

Hillary Clinton applauded the Supreme Court’s decision and singled out Republicans for their repeated attempts to try and tear down the law.  Hillary Clinton is working, as she has her entire life, to improve and provide quality, affordable health care to every American.

 

 

 
“Despite the Court’s decision, ObamaCare is still a bad law that is having a negative impact on our country and on millions of Americans. I remain committed to repealing this bad law and replacing it with my consumer-centered plan that puts patients and families back in control of their health care decisions. We need Consumer Care, not ObamaCare.” [Tweets from Marco Rubio, 6/25/15, 10:32 a.m. EDT]
   
“I am disappointed by today’s Supreme Court ruling in the King v. Burwell case. But this decision is not the end of the fight against Obamacare. […] As President of the United States, I would make fixing our broken health care system one of my top priorities. I will work with Congress to repeal and replace this flawed law with conservative reforms that empower consumers with more choices and control over their health care decisions.” [Statement from Jeb Bush, 6/25/15]
   
“While I disagree with the ruling, it was never up to the Supreme Court to save us from Obamacare. […] It’s time we repealed Obamacare and replaced it with truly affordable, patient centered-health care reform, and I look forward to laying out my ideas on this issue.” [Statement from Rick Perry, 6/25/15]
   
“Today's King v. Burwell decision, which protects and expands ObamaCare, is an out-of-control act of judicial tyranny. […] As President, I will protect Medicare, repeal ObamaCare, and pass real reform that will actually lower costs, while focusing on cures and prevention rather than intervention.” [Statement from Mike Huckabee, 6/25/15]
   
“Today’s Supreme Court ruling upholding the administration’s implementation of ObamaCare means Republicans in the House and Senate must redouble their efforts to repeal and replace this destructive and costly law. […] Now, instead of just finger-pointing from the president for why his law is failing, we need real leadership in Washington, and Congress needs to repeal and replace ObamaCare.” [CNN, 6/25/15]
   
“This decision turns both the rule of law and common sense on its head. […] As President, I would make it my mission to repeal it [Obamacare], and propose real solutions for our healthcare system.” [Statement from Rand Paul, 6/25/15]
   
Chris Christie ‏@ChrisChristie: This decision turns common language on its head. Now leaders must turn our attention to making the case that ObamaCare must be replaced.  [6/25/15, 10:57 a.m. EDT]
   
“The lasting solution here is what we've been saying all along. We need to repeal ObamaCare.” [Statement from Carly Fiorina, 6/25/15]
   
“President Obama would like this to be the end of the debate on Obamacare, but it isn’t. […] Now that the Supreme Court has ruled, the debate will grow. Conservatives must be fearless in demanding that our leaders in Washington repeal and replace Obamacare with a plan that will lower health care costs and restore freedom.” [Statement from Bobby Jindal, 6/25/15]
   
“Today’s decision only reinforces why we need a president who will bring about real reform that repeals Obamacare and replaces it with a plan that expands consumer choice, increases coverage, delivers better value for the dollar, and gives states more control, without stifling job creation.” [Statement from Lindsey Graham, 6/25/15]
   
Dr. Ben Carson @RealBenCarson: Those of us who pledge to repeal #Obamacare must redouble our efforts and not waste time and energy mourning today's #SCOTUS ruling. [6/25/15, 12:23 p.m. EDT]
   
Rick Santorum @RickSantorum: Today's Supreme Court ruling is another reminder that if we want to get rid of #Obamacare, we must elect a conservative President #RICK2016 [6/25/15, 11:40 a.m. EDT]
   
George E. Pataki @GovernorPataki: Sadly, #SCOTUS has again stretched to save #Obamacare making plain the need to repeal & replace with a patient-centric market based plan. [6/25/15, 11:03 a.m. EDT]

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 Democracy for America

DFA REACT: SCOTUS ruling is victory over "GOP's kamikaze attacks against program US wants improved"

Democracy for America applauds the court’s decision on the Affordable Care Act. ACA is here to stay, period.

Statement from Democracy for America Chair Jim Dean on today’s ruling upholding healthcare reform:

“Today’s ruling isn’t just a victory for the millions of people who will get to keep their healthcare, it’s a victory for the millions more who are sick and tired of the GOP’s relentless kamikaze attacks against a program that Americans want to see improved, not dismantled.

“While Democracy for America members have long believed that Obamacare must be improved by giving every man, woman, and child access to Medicare, the time for the debate about the Affordable Care Act’s legality is definitively over.” -- Jim Dean, Chair, Democracy for America.

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Families USA

Supreme Court’s King v. Burwell Decision Has “Monumental Significance”

Affordable Care Act Now Has Long-Term Stability, and Continued Progress Will Be Made Extending Affordable Health Coverage to Millions of Americans

Today, the U.S. Supreme Court decided that the Affordable Care Act’s premium tax credits will continue to be available in all states. The following is the statement of Ron Pollack, Executive Director of the health consumer organization Families USA, about this development:

“Today’s decision has monumental significance: It means that the Affordable Care Act is, and will remain, the law of the land.

“Millions of families across the country will breathe a big sigh of relief about today’s decision. The Affordable Care Act has provided coverage to 16 million Americans who did not have it before. They will now have the peace of mind knowing their health coverage will not be taken away, and they will continue to receive financial help to keep premiums affordable.

“The Affordable Care Act overcame more than 50 congressional repeal votes and two Supreme Court cases designed to prevent its implementation. During this time it has succeeded in providing needed health coverage to millions of families, leading to a record low rate of uninsured Americans. Its beneficial help is now a stable part of our nation’s health care landscape and will reach many more people.

“It is now time for the law’s proponents and opponents to stop fighting and work together to further improve our health care system. Health coverage should be extended in all states to the poor. Efforts should be increased to enroll all consumers in need of insurance. Out-of-pocket health care costs should be made increasingly affordable. And the highest-quality care should become the hallmark of health care systems throughout the United States."

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OPPONENTS

Republican National Committee

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American Conservative Union
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, June 25, 2015

“Justice Roberts and the other concurring five justices have disgraced
their office, sprayed graffiti on the Constitution, and set America
on a path toward a constitutional crisis,” says ACU’s Schlapp.

WASHINGTON DC – “Today we are reminded of why it is destructive to have activists on the Supreme Court who are empowered by their hubris to act as Judge, Senator and King. 

“What’s clear is that Professor Jonathan Gruber, President Barack Obama, Leader Harry Reid and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi thought they could force Republican governors to create their own state-based insurance exchanges.  But because those 36 governors found Obamacare’s mandates so repellant, they spared their constituents and chose the unsubsidized Federal insurance exchanges instead. 

“Chief Justice John Roberts now thinks it is his job to re-write the unambiguous language of the law to achieve a certain outcome:  the radical Leftist dream of socialized medicine.

“Justice Roberts and the other concurring five justices have disgraced their office, sprayed graffiti on the Constitution, and set America on a path toward a constitutional crisis.  In fact, two of these Justices blatantly deceived Congress during their confirmation hearings, and lied to the Presidents who appointed them.  Justices Roberts and Anthony Kennedy promised President George W. Bush and President Ronald Reagan that they would follow the letter of the law.

“Under oath, Justice Roberts swore that he would not engage in judicial activism.  He has betrayed his own integrity, the integrity of the court and the American people.  

“Justices Roberts and Kennedy promised to only look at the statutory language drafted by Congress and the Constitutionality of that language.  Instead they acted like corrupt county politicians, trying to achieve a political outcome as if they were cutting backroom deals in a smoke-filled room.  The Republican-led Senate should haul these robed manipulators back to explain why they lied during their confirmation hearings.  CEO’s of private corporations are not allowed to commit perjury before Congress.  Why should the head of the Judiciary be held to a lower standard?

“Those of us who labored to get John Roberts confirmed are owed an apology.  What is more tragic is we owe our fellow Americans an apology for believing him in the first place.

“There are three honest justices on the nation's highest court: Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, and Antonin Scalia.  The world should know that Roberts and Kennedy have not behaved as justices but instead as political hacks without term limits.  They have brought shame to their office and defied the Presidents who placed their trust in them.”

-30-

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Americans for Prosperity

Americans for Prosperity Launches New Ad Following King v. Burwell Decision

Reminds with message, “healthcare is about people, not politics”

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Citizens’ Council for Health Freedom

SCOTUS Ruling Is Attack on the Rule of Law:
Where Will Interpretation of the Law End?

Citizens’ Council for Health Freedom: ‘Disastrous’ SCOTUS Decision Keeps Americans Trapped in Flawed Health Care System

ST. PAUL, Minn.—The United States Supreme Court today announced its decision on the landmark Affordable Care Act case, King v. Burwell, which analyzed whether federal premium subsidies issued to residents in states without a state-established exchange are allowable.
The Court ruled that subsidies provided through HealthCare.gov are indeed lawful, meaning that the federal exchange, which was hastily built after most states refused to build their own exchange, can continue issuing subsidies. This, says Twila Brase, president and co-founder of Citizens’ Council for Health Freedom (CCHF, www.cchfreedom.org), was not how the Affordable Care Act was written.

Brase is at the Supreme Court Building now, after the decision was handed down.

“This disastrous decision is a terrible attack on the rule of law because it sends the message that the rule of law does not matter; whoever has most power, the strongest attorneys and the biggest voice wins,” Brase said. “Without the rule of law, it becomes the rule of power—all up to interpretation. Claims of intent and outside interpretations of intent will now rule, not the actual words written in the law. When we start allowing the loose interpretation of law based on after-the-fact claims of intent, the foundation of the rule of law crumbles.”

CCHF, a Minnesota-based national organization dedicated to preserving patient-centered health care and protecting patient and privacy rights, has been educating Americans for five years about the dangers of Obamacare, which is expensive, intrusive, compromises care and ties the hands of doctors.

“Sadly, the Court did not rule on what is actually written in the law,” Brase continued. “And sadder still, the ruling means that citizens in 37 states, including the 6.5 million Americans receiving Obamacare subsidies, didn’t regain their health freedom today. They will remain trapped in a government health care system of mandates and penalties that does not work, doesn’t look out for their best interests, makes health care unaffordable, and puts their private medical data at risk.

“This was an opportunity to save America from Obamacare—to protect their freedoms from government mandates, taxes and penalties, fewer jobs, work hours that have been cut to the bone, and lower wages. But that chance was squandered.”

For more information about CCHF, visit its web site at www.cchfreedom.org, its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/cchfreedom or its Twitter feed, @CCHFreedom.

Citizens’ Council for Health Freedom is a patient-centered national health freedom organization based in St. Paul, Minn., that exists to protect health care choices and patient privacy.​​ CCHF sponsors the daily, 60-second radio feature, Health Freedom Minute, which airs on approximately 350 stations nationwide, including 200 on the American Family Radio Network and 100 on the Bott Radio Network. Listeners can learn more about the agenda behind health care initiatives and​ steps they can take to protect their health care choices, rights and privacy. 

CCHF president and co-founder Twila Brase, R.N., has been called one of the “100 Most Powerful People in Health Care” and one of “Minnesota’s 100 Most Influential Health Care Leaders.” A public health nurse, Brase has been interviewed by CNN, Fox News, Minnesota Public Radio, NBC Nightly News, NBC’s Today Show, NPR, New York Public Radio, the Associated Press, Modern Healthcare, TIME, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and The Washington Times, among others. She is at the forefront of informing the public of crucial health issues, such as intrusive wellness and prevention initiatives in Obamacare, patient privacy, informed consent, the dangers of “evidence-based medicine” and the implications of state and federal health care reform.

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Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee (CWALAC)

Congress Doesn't Mean What They Say - SCOTUS Knows Best!

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Democratic National Committee

From: DNC National Press Secretary Holly Shulman
To: Interested Parties
Date: June 25, 2015
Re: GOP’s Effort to Undermine the Affordable Care Act Could Damage Their Own Chances in 2016

2016ers – be careful what you wish for.

For years, Republicans have tried everything in their power to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, making it more difficult for Americans to obtain affordable health coverage and returning power to the insurance companies. 

The Affordable Care Act has survived more than 50 GOP-led votes to repeal or undermine it in the House alone, a presidential election, and a Supreme Court case already. It shouldn’t surprise Republicans that voters don't want to see people lose their health insurance. The uninsured rate is at or near historic lows, and health care spending is growing at the slowest rate ever recorded.

Lately, Republicans have been cheerleading another legal attack on the ACA: the King v. Burwell case which could take affordable health coverage away from millions of Americans. But with so many Americans enjoying the benefits of the ACA, the GOP effort to kill the law is starting to backfire and Republicans are panicking. 

Conservative columnist David Frum writes that the question “Will you take away my health insurance?” will decide the 2016 elections.

We are confident that the Supreme Court will preserve access to affordable care for millions of Americans. But should the court rule in favor of King, Republican 2016ers should expect to be subjected to the public’s ire.

Marco Rubio and Jeb Bush would be dealt the undesirable task of defending the court’s decision in their home state of Florida. Florida is the state with the highest number of people at risk of losing subsidies for their insurance in the nation. More than 1.3 million Florida residents would be hit with an average 359% premium increase. Good luck trying to spin that.

Governors Scott Walker, Chris Christie, and Bobby Jindal all opposed the Affordable Care Act and chose to rely on the federal insurance exchange in their state. Yet none of them have laid out a contingency plan to deal with the potential outcome of King v. Burwell and the loss of access to affordable health care for millions of their constituents.

Rand Paul is already in a difficult situation. Paul opposed the decision of the Democratic governor of his home state of Kentucky to set up the highly-successful state-based health exchange that means Kentucky is not at risk of losing its subsidies, but as a supporter of the King lawsuit he thinks people in states without exchanges should stand to lose their subsidies. Will he admit he was wrong to oppose Gov. Beshear’s actions to extend quality health care to Kentuckians?

And what do Florida, Ohio, Virginia, North Carolina, Wisconsin and Indiana have in common? They’re more than just battleground states. They’re states where the Republican leadership refused to create a state-based exchange, and whose residents would see average premium increases as high as 359% if the court rules in favor of King.

 

Ever since the law’s inception, Republicans have based their entire political strategy on attacking the Affordable Care Act – a law that prevents insurance companies from discriminating against people who have preexisting conditions, allows young people to stay on their parents’ health insurance, and closes the Medicare Part D doughnut hole for seniors, making prescription drugs more affordable. They have uniformly opposed a law that takes power away from the insurance companies and provides millions of Americans access to quality affordable health insurance.

Even a decision in favor of the American people won’t put this issue to rest for Republican presidential contenders who have built their base support on opposition to the ACA – and are running on a platform of repeal. But in the unlikely event that the Supreme Court grants the GOP fantasy of taking quality, affordable health care away from millions of Americans, it couldn’t come for them at a worse time.

Holly Shulman | National Press Secretary