DFLers petition US Supreme Court to uphold health care law
More than 50 DFL lawmakers have signed on to an advisory brief asking the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold the federal health care law.
DFLers say the law's provisions are already baked into state policy and finances. Rep. Erin Murphy, DFL-St. Paul, said $125 million of the surplus in the November state budget forecast is due to policy changes from the federal health care overhaul.
"The tenuous budget balancing act that we've got going on right now is going to be upended if we don't proceed with the implementation," she said.
Rep. Tony Lourey, DFL-Kerrick, said the law has already benefited many Minnesotans.
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"Today in Minnesota and across the country young adults can continue on their parents' coverage up to age 26. That is currently benefiting 32,000 Minnesota young adults. That's a big deal," Lourey said.
The DFL lawmakers say they join more than 480 state lawmakers from around the U.S. to sign the brief.
Opponents of the law have also filed advisory briefs.
The Supreme Court is slated to hear arguments on a challenge to the law in March and expected to issue a ruling by June.