U.S. Senator David Vitter and Governor Bobby Jindal
BATON ROUGE – Governor Bobby Jindal and Senator David Vitter have released statements in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court upholding the Affordable Care Act.
Jindal and Vitter have stood against the implementation of the act since it was first passed in 2010.
Jindal called the decision a "blow to our freedoms," but congratulated the court on labeling the requirement that the uninsured purchase insurance, a tax.
"The Court should have protected our constitutional freedoms, but remember, it was the President that forced this law on us," Jindal said.
Jindal said he hopes Republicans continue the drive to overturn the law.
"The American people did not want or approve of Obamacare then, and they do not now. Americans oppose it because it will decrease the quality of health care in America, raise taxes, cut Medicare, and break the bank."
Vitter said he is committed to overturning the act.
"This is obviously an extremely disappointing ruling, particularly with Roberts so amazingly rewriting the law in order to uphold it," Vitter said.
"But I am more committed than ever to repealing Obamacare outright. Obamacare may have been judged constitutional in this clumsy way, but I think it's also been proved a bad idea since its passage that's making things worse. It continues to increase the cost of health care services and puts the federal government between patients and doctors."
In January 2011 Vitter re-introduced legislation to repeal the act.
Jindal and Attorney General Buddy Caldwell decided not to put in place a statewide healthcare exchange, instead putting their hopes on the act being over turned by the court.
The state's exchange will be developed and implemented by the federal government.