Supreme Court Amicus Brief on the Affordable Care Act's Medicaid Provision

Today, Ranking Member Henry A. Waxman, Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, members of House and Senate leadership, and other Committee Ranking Members filed a Supreme Court amicus brief in support of the Affordable Care Act's Medicaid expansion. The brief argues that the Medicaid expansion that is expected to provide health coverage to an additional 16 million people over the next decade is constitutional.  Congress has the power to set the terms under which it will disburse funds and that it has not overstepped its authority or “coerced” the states by enacting the Affordable Care Act's Medicaid expansion. As explained in the brief, Medicaid has always been a cooperative partnership between the States and the federal government, and the health law does nothing to change that. 

The full amicus brief is available here.