Deal: Obamacare case critical to state's future

Gov. Nathan Deal welcomed the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to hear Georgia’s case challenging the constitutionality of Obamacare. More than half of the nation’s states have signed on to the case.

“The state of Georgia has been a leader in the fight against the crippling mandates of Obamacare. As a member of Congress, I was the first to question the constitutionality of the individual mandate on the floor of the House. It’s appropriate and expected that the court would rule on an issue so central to Americans’ individual liberties. As governor, I’m especially happy to see the court look into whether the federal government can force state governments to take on huge new spending programs. Obamacare would vastly expand our state’s Medicaid enrollment, creating a huge new tax burden on Georgia taxpayers. Frankly, our state can’t afford these new unfunded mandates, and what we’re seeing is that the majority of states feel the same way. The outcome of this case is hugely important to the future of Georgia, and we have high hopes for a favorable decision from the Supreme Court next year.”