[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 166 (Wednesday, December 15, 2010)]
[House]
[Page H8358]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
{time} 1020
VIRGINIA OBAMACARE RULING
(Mr. PITTS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. PITTS. Madam Speaker, earlier this week, a Federal judge in
Virginia acted to defend the American people from an unconstitutional
mandate to purchase health insurance. It really shouldn't be a surprise
that a Federal judge recognized what many of us noted months ago: the
Constitution does not give Congress and the President the right to
force Americans to purchase a particular good or service.
Instead of finding ways to bring down the cost of insurance so that
anybody can afford at least basic coverage, ObamaCare puts the Federal
Government squarely in charge of the health care industry and then
makes every American participate. The government defines what insurance
is, what it does, what it covers and doesn't cover, and then forces you
to buy it. Even with this unconstitutional mandate, health care costs
will rise faster because of ObamaCare.
The next Congress will act to repeal this mandate and all the other
bad ideas in ObamaCare because we, too, have a responsibility to
protect the Constitution of the United States.
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