Colorado To Sue Over Health Care Bill

By Tak Landrockt.landrock@krdo.comwww.Twitter.com/taklandrockDENVER – Colorado will join at least nine other states threatening to sue the federal government for passing the health care reform bill on Sunday.

Colorado Attorney John Suthers, a Republican, announced Monday that he was joining the list of states who plan to block the health care reform bill. “Congress is attempting, for the first time in our history, to use the interstate commercial power to regulate citizens who choose not to engage in a commercial activity by forcing them to buy insurance,” says Mr. Suthers.

He along with fellow Republicans argue the federal government can’t force citizens to buy health care insurance or face a fine. Mr. Suthers told a room of reporters there are serious ramifications for state’s rights and individual freedoms.

Governor Bill Ritter, a Democrat, blasted back in a statement to NEWSCHANNEL 13. The governor claims the health care bill will help 300,000 in Colorado get the insurance they need.

Gov. Ritter wrote, ” We need national reform to help drive down costs, and we need national reform to stop annual double-digit insurance premium increases that are devastating small businesses and families alike.”The governor believes the law is constitutionally sound.Earlier on Monday a group of Republican state lawmakers, including Rep. Amy Stephens from Monument, said they want to pass a state law to block the federal legislation from taking effect in Colorado. If passed, it could set up a fight in federal courts on state’s rights vs. federal power.Jon Caldara, the president of the Independence Institute and the author of the constitutional amendment, urged GOP lawmakers at the Capitol Monday to help him gather the signatures needed to get it on the November ballot.