How California’s Attorney General Has Led The Charge Against Trump’s Policies
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra is leading the coalition of Democratic states that is defending the health law in court, but that's just one of the ways Becerra has used his position to try to thwart the administration. Meanwhile, the House is taking steps to formally intervene in the suit.
The Associated Press:
California Attorney General Leads Trump Resistance Into 2019
Xavier Becerra became perhaps the nation’s most influential attorney general when he was named California’s top lawyer two years ago, and he has since used his post atop what some call the “Resistance State” to pummel President Donald Trump’s administration with dozens of legal actions. Heading into 2019, he may turn up the heat even more, buoyed by his overwhelming endorsement from voters, a Democratic U.S. House and a more aggressive governor who takes office Monday. Becerra kicked off the new year on Thursday by leading a coalition of 17 Democratic attorneys general in appealing a recent ruling by a conservative federal judge in Texas that declared the Obama-era Affordable Care Act unconstitutional. (Thompson, 1/4)
The Desert Sun:
California Defends Obamacare In Fight That Pits Blue States Against Red Ones
California is once again defending the Affordable Care Act, leading a coalition of Democratic states against a small army of Republican lawmakers seeking to undo the Obama administration’s signature healthcare law. Thursday morning, state Attorney General Xavier Becerra and 16 other attorneys general appealed last month’s ruling by a federal judge in Texas that declared the entirety of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, unconstitutional. (Chistopher and Aguilera, 1/6)
The Associated Press:
Dem-Led House Moves To Join Health Care Law Case
The new Democratic-controlled House has moved toward defending former President Barack Obama's health care law against a federal court ruling that the statute is unconstitutional, part of the party's effort to use the issue to embarrass Republicans. The House has filed papers seeking to intervene in the case, Democrats announced Friday, which by itself is unlikely to have a substantial impact on the litigation. The House action's greatest impact is likely to be political. (1/4)
California Healthline:
Democrats Fight Back Against Lawsuit Threatening Health Law
Democrats on Thursday officially launched their pushback against a December federal court decision that declared the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional. A group of 17 Democratic state attorneys general formally appealed the Dec. 14 decision in Texas v. U.S. issued by U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor. In the case filed by 18 Republican state attorneys general and two GOP governors, O’Connor ruled that when Congress in 2017 reduced the tax penalty for not having insurance to zero, the rest of the law became invalidated. (Rovner, 1/4)
The New York Times:
Why A ‘Passive’ Health Approach Can Produce The Most Action
A $100 billion dollar health care package was proposed by congressional Republicans this past summer, and afterward endorsed by some Democrats. It aims to save money by encouraging you to make big life changes. But the package will probably fail to achieve its goals for a simple reason: scarcity. Chances are you don’t have the time, money or bandwidth to follow through. The legislation is expected to be reintroduced in the first quarter this year, and it has laudable goals. It encourages exercise by treating gym memberships as tax-deductible medical expenses. It would help cover out-of-pocket costs for high-deductible health plans by allowing people to deposit more money in tax-shielded health savings accounts. (Frakt and Benavidez, 1/7)