Third Federal Judge Upholds Health-Care Law

?áfederal judge in Washington D.C. became the third district court judge to uphold the constitutionality of the health reform law?ÇÖs requirement that individuals maintain health coverage or pay a penalty. In her opinion, U.S. District Court Judge Gladys Kessler said Congress was within its constitutional authority to regulate interstate commerce when it chose to penalize people who choose not to have health insurance. ?Ç£Congress had a rational basis for its conclusion that the aggregate of individual decisions not to purchase health insurance substantially affects the national health insurance market,?Ç¥ Judge Kessler wrote in her opinion. Two other district court judges have recently ruled that the same provision is unconstitutional. Thus, to date there have been three district court judges ruling in favor of the constitutionality of the individual mandate and two district court judges ruling against the constitutionality of this mandate. It is expected that the United States Supreme Court will eventually be requested to review the constitutionality of the health reform law. Mead v. Holder, No. 10-950 (D.D.C. Feb. 22, 2011).