State Republican Lawmakers to Sue Over Federal Health Care Law

Oklahoma President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee along with Speaker of the House Chris Benge said they will file a lawsuit against the federal health care legislation in the coming days.

Tuesday, April 20th 2010, 3:51 pm

By: News 9


By Jon Jordan, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Oklahoma President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee along with Speaker of the House Chris Benge said they will file a lawsuit against the federal health care legislation in the coming days.

Legislative Republican leaders said they believe the health care law is unconstitutional because it forces Oklahomans to purchase healthcare. 

"It's not conclusive we will be successful, but I think it's important for us to try," Coffee said.

Coffee and Benge's decision to sue followed a decision by the Oklahoma Attorney General's decision not to after he, along with 17 other assistant attorney's general, poured over the legislation.

"The health care bill is the flawed result of a flawed process, but that alone does not make the law unconstitutional," said Attorney General Drew Edmondson after he announced he would not be filing a lawsuit on behalf of the state.

In light of the recent decision by Republicans to sue, Edmondson said it was, "…more about politics than policy; more sound bite than substance."

Democratic lawmakers are also sounding off.

"We're doing something that is going to be impossible, so it just makes us [Oklahoma] look bad," said Democratic senator Jim Wilson, who serves on the Health and Human services subcommittee. "The argument for the lawsuit is that they are [the federal government] requiring us to buy insurance and they can do that, and that's bogus because they are not."

But Senator Coffee, who is hoping to file the lawsuit soon. said he plans on finding a lawyer who will take the case pro-bono.

"I've talked to a lot of citizens in this state that feel it's important that their vote be heard," Coffee said.

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