Johanns Signs Brief Challenging Constitutionality of Health Care Law

WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) today joined 35 of his colleagues in signing an amicus brief to the Supreme Court regarding President Obama's health care law. The Supreme Court will examine whether the individual mandate can be separated from the entire law should the court rule the individual mandate to be unconstitutional. Today's brief argues the overall health care law cannot be preserved if the court strikes down the individual mandate.
"Supporters of the health care law touted the individual mandate as the cornerstone of the bill's viability. Even by their standards this flawed law can't stand without it," Johanns said. "To let the rest of the law stand would be shortsighted and result in even more unintended consequences. If part of the law goes, the entire law must go."
Johanns supported a motion in the Senate declaring the individual mandate in the health care bill unconstitutional. He also cosponsored two bills to repeal the individual and employer mandates contained in the new health care law.