State Senator Mark Herring (D – Loudoun & Fairfax) released this statement following the ruling of the United States Supreme Court affirming the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act:
“The Affordable Care Act was designed to expand access to quality, affordable healthcare for all Americans. Millions of Americans will no longer need to live in fear that insurance companies will deny them coverage if they have a pre-existing condition. Young people can stay on their parent’s insurance plans until age 26 and seniors will receive free preventative healthcare benefits.
I am disappointed but not surprised by Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli’s over-the-top response claiming that this is a dark day for America. He has wasted Virginia resources advancing a political agenda that the Chief Justice John Roberts and the Supreme Court has rejected. For Ken it is a dark day, but for Virginia families that can now rest easy knowing that the healthcare coverage they so desperately need won’t be taken away, it is a good day indeed.
While this isn’t a perfect plan, I applaud Chief Justice Roberts and the Supreme Court for affirming the constitutionality of President Obama’s signature legislative achievement: healthcare reform. As a member of Virginia’s Health Reform Initiative, and a member of the Senate Commerce and Labor Subcommittee on Health Exchanges, I look forward to working with the Governor, the Attorney General and my colleagues in the General Assembly to implement this law in the best possible way so that our citizens will receive the maximum benefit of healthcare reform.”