THE SUPREME COURT AND THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT

Next week, our nation celebrates the six-year anniversary of President Obama’s historic law, the Affordable Care Act.I was proud to cosponsor and vote for the Affordable Care Act, and I’m even prouder that nearly 20 million Americans have received access to quality, affordable health insurance through it. Florida is leading the nation in sign-ups, and millions of Americans can no longer be discriminated against because they have a pre-existing condition.

But in my opinion, the Senate Majority’s unwillingness to give President Obama’s nominee, Chief Judge Merrick Garland of the D.C. Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, a fair hearing and timely vote is endangering the Affordable Care Act. Just four years ago our nation celebrated the Court’s ruling that the ACA was legal, and I am concerned that their unprecedented refusal to consider Chief Judge Merrick Garland’s nomination could jeopardize the ACA. Their refusal to consider his nomination could also jeopardize critical decisions like Roe v. Wade, which ruled abortion is the law of the land, and Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized marriage equality.