FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 19, 2012 Contact: Chris Creighton 260-432-1741 ccreighton@indgop.

org

Sen. Long Statement on Supreme Court Health Care Ruling

Indiana Senate President Pro Tem David Long (R-Fort Wayne) issued the following statement today in response to the U.S. Supreme Courts ruling on President Obamas Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act:

STATEHOUSE (June 28, 2012) Todays ruling by the Supreme Court is very disappointing for those of us who value individual liberty and personal freedom. In upholding key aspects of Obamacare, the Supreme Court has endorsed the concept that the federal government has virtually unlimited power over our lives through the use of its tax powers. There is seemingly little, if anything, that could not be mandated by Washington; just call it a tax and its ok. states rights have never been more threatened. The fact that Chief Justice John Roberts sided with the ultra-liberal wing of the Supreme Court is also troubling. One must hope that this does not indicate a shift to the left by Mr. Roberts, but this decision, perhaps the most important judicial ruling in more than 50 years, certainly sides with those who believe there can never be enough government in our lives. A silver lining in the Courts ruling that should help Indianas taxpayers is the fact that the Court ruled a state cannot be forced to adopt the expansion of Medicaid that was mandated by Obamacare. This provision was a certain tax increase waiting to happen, skillfully hidden in the language of the law, with the states virtually helpless to stop it. Now, Hoosiers can avoid such a tax increase by the state opting out of Obamacares Medicaid mandate, which we will certainly do. Yet significant federal tax increases to pay for this universal health care program are a virtual certainty as well. Time will tell, but one thing is clear: the role of the federal government in our lives has grown significantly today. For those of us who believe that the unrelenting growth of Washingtons reach is a bad thing for our nation, today was not a good day.

Paid for by the Senate Majority Campaign Committee and authorized by David Long for State Senate.