Politics & Government
Weinberg, Christie React to Supreme Court Ruling on Healthcare Law
State Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg calls court decision "a huge win for the American people."
State Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, a Democrat, and Republican Gov. Chris Christie responded Thursday to the Supreme Court’s ruling to uphold parts of the Affordable Care Act, known as "Obamacare."
In a . The court upheld the requirement that every American purchase health insurance or else pay a penalty, as a tax decision and upheld it on those grounds.
The governor in May vetoed a bill to create a health exchange in New Jersey where small businesses and the uninsured could shop for lower cost coverage. Christie said at the time he wanted to wait for the Supreme Court’s ruling.
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Weinberg issued the following statement:
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“This is a huge win for the President, and a huge win for the American people. By affirming the constitutionality of the ACA, the Supreme Court has sided with responsible public policy which would put health care within reach for all people – regardless of race, gender, creed, income, or pre-existing conditions.
“With today’s decision from the Supreme Court, we can finally put to rest any questions regarding the constitutionality of federal health care reform, and can begin the process of implementing these wide-reaching reforms for the people of New Jersey. I urge the Governor to work with Legislative Democrats to quickly implement laws that put New Jersey in compliance with the provisions of the ACA, so that New Jersey can be positioned to take advantage of new federal funding sources designed to boost health care access in the Garden State and around the country.
“It’s time to get to work.”
Christie's response to the ruling is below:
“I’ve been clear from the very beginning that I do not believe a one-size-fits-all health care program works for the entire country and that each governor should have the ability to make decisions about what works best for their state. Today’s Supreme Court decision is disappointing and I still believe this is the wrong approach for the people of New Jersey who should be able to make their own judgments about health care. Most importantly, the Supreme Court is confirming what we knew all along about this law – it is a tax on middle class Americans.”
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