Appeals court upholds Obamacare tax as constitutional

[Geee]

Washington Times:

A key appeals court on Tuesday ruled that despite including a tax, Obamacare doesn’t violate the Constitution’s requirement that all tax bills originate in the House of Representatives, giving the Obama administration another health care win.

 

The three-judge panel of the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia said that the Obamacare tax was “incidental” to the primary purpose of the Affordable Care Act, so it isn’t a revenue-raising measure as envisioned by the Constitution.

 

“Some exercises of the taxing power are not subject to the Origination Clause,” the unanimous panel concluded.

 

The issue had been in doubt after Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr.’s surprise decision two years ago saying that while Obamacare wasn’t allowed under Congress’s powers to control interstate commerce, it was valid as an exercise of Congress’s taxing power.

 

Since the key language of Obamacare came from the Senate, opponents then said it violated another part of the Constitution that requires tax bills — or, more specifically, revenue-raising measures — to begin in the House.

[Draggingtree]

:

A key appeals court on Tuesday ruled that despite including a tax, Obamacare doesn’t violate the Constitution’s requirement that all tax bills originate in the House of Representatives, giving the Obama administration another health care win.

 

The three-judge panel of the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia said that the Obamacare tax was “incidental” to the primary purpose of the Affordable Care Act, so it isn’t a revenue-raising measure as envisioned by the Constitution.

 

“Some exercises of the taxing power are not subject to the Origination Clause,” the unanimous panel concluded.

 

The issue had been in doubt after Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr.’s surprise decision two years ago saying that while Obamacare wasn’t allowed under Congress’s powers to control interstate commerce, it was valid as an exercise of Congress’s taxing power.

 

Since the key language of Obamacare came from the Senate, opponents then said it violated another part of the Constitution that requires tax bills — or, more specifically, revenue-raising measures — to begin in the House.