Pa. Sues To Block Health Care Reform

Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett, a Republican, said on Monday he will file a lawsuit to block the Obama health-care reform package from becoming a law.

In a statement, Corbett said he was taking the action to “protect the citizens of Pennsylvania whose rights will be violated when the health care reform legislation, passed last night by the U.S. House of Representatives, is signed into law by President Obama. “

Corbett said that he believes the courts will find the health care reform legislation unconstitutional.

Corbett is discussing legal strategy with attorneys general from Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, Michigan, Texas, Utah, Washington, North Dakota and South Dakota and Virginia.

As many 12 U.S. states plan to file a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of health care reform as soon as President Barack Obama signs it into law.

Florida's Republican Attorney General Bill McCollum, who is running for governor in the upcoming November midterm elections, led the charge to challenge a provision which would require most people to buy health insurance or else pay a fine.

He is joined Corbett and 10 other Republican attorneys general of South Carolina, Nebraska, Texas, Utah, Washington, North Dakota, South Dakota and Alabama.

Michigan’s Attorney General, Republican Mike Cox, issued a statement Monday that Michigan will also join the lawsuit.
The governor of Idaho signed a bill last week blocking federal mandates requiring individuals in his state to purchase health insurance.

Some 38 states have either filed or announced their intention to file similar legislation, according to the American Legislative Exchange Council, which opposes the health reform bill.

However, Gov. Ed Rendell says such a lawsuit is simply "political grandstanding" and a waste of taxpayer money.

Obama is preparing to sign Tuesday the bill that passed the U.S. House on Sunday night.