Federal Judge Roger Vinson in Pensacola, Florida struck down President Obama’s health care law today, saying it is invalidated by the requirement that nearly all Americans buy health insurance.
Like Virginia Federal Judge Henry Hudson’s case, the health care law or Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is ruled unconstitutional. Since individual mandate violated the Constitution because it regulates economic inactivity, and since it is unseverable from the rest of the law, the entire statute was unconstitutional.
“Because the individual mandate is unconstitutional, and not severable, the entire Act must be declared void,” Judge Vinson said.
The Obama health care law would require nearly all Americans to have health insurance in 2014, or face fines.
Judge Roger Vinson was appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1983, drew a case filed by GOP attorney generals within hours of the signing of the health care law in March 21, 2010. Eventually 25 more states joined in the lawsuit.
