U.S. House Wins at District Level in House v. Burwell
05/12/16
By Hadley Heath
The U.S. House won an important victory today at the district level in House v. Burwell. This case started with several claims from the legislative branch that the executive branch was overstepping its authority in the ways it was implementing the Affordable Care Act or ObamaCare. The ruling in the case came down to the cost-sharing subsidies that the Obama Administration sent out to insurance companies, which Judge Rosemary Collyer declared illegal. These subsidies were never appropriated by Congress. Here is a statement from the Independent Women's Voice that explains more:
"A federal judge has ruled that the Obama administration cannot violate the rule of law and illegally spend tens of billions of dollars to prop up its failing health care program. Despite the clear letter of the law, the Obama administration has been blatantly violating the Constitution’s Separation of Powers in paying cost-sharing subsidies without an appropriation from Congress, spending that would total $130 billion over 10 years.
"U.S. District Court Judge Rosemary M. Collyer called a halt to the Obama Administration illegal funding of this ObamaCare subsidy program. Contrary to the headlines, low-income people will continue to qualify for more generous coverage since the judge stayed her order pending an inevitable appeal. It is Big Insurance that will not be paid additional taxpayer money since – and this is not a small detail – Congress never appropriated funding for this blank check to insurance companies.
"This decision is a win for American citizens who have been devastated by ObamaCare's premium hikes, insurance cancellations, and reduced choices. By refusing to allow the Administration to throw good money after bad to prop up its already-failing program, this will only hasten the much needed reconsideration of legislation to repeal and replace ObamaCare to make better health care broadly and affordably available. And it is a timely reminder that this is not a monarchy, but a democracy, and there are limits to executive power."
Share: