New gov OKs Wisconsin joining health care lawsuit
Wisconsin's new Republican Gov. Scott Walker has authorized Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen to challenge the federal health care reform law.
The authorization came Monday on Walker's first day in office. He promised during the campaign that if elected he would allow fellow Republican Van Hollen to join the lawsuit.
Van Hollen said in a statement that the U.S. Constitution does not authorize the federal government to require someone to buy government-approved insurance or pay a penalty.
Twenty states have joined a federal lawsuit in Florida. A federal judge in Virginia has ruled in a related case that the individual mandate requirement is unconstitutional.
Van Hollen had sought approval to sue from former Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle, but was denied.
Van Hollen's office says he expects to take action promptly.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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