Health Care

After decades of debate and failed attempts Congress passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which President Obama signed into law on March 23, 2010.  The bill passed both the Senate and House along party lines with most Democrats in support and Republicans unanimously opposed.  Advocates praised the sweeping legislation for expanding health-care coverage to most Americans, providing insurance pools for those who can't find coverage elsewhere and limiting the power of insurance companies to deny coverage.  Critics decried the measure as a massive intrusion of government into private enterprise, and lawsuits are now pending claiming the law is unconstitutional. The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments on the law in March 2012 and is set to rule on the constitutionality of all or parts of the law.