Next week, the Supreme Court will begin its review of the various challenges to President Obama’s signature legislative achievement, the Affordable Care Act. The Justices will meet on Thursday, November 10, to review the petitions filed by both opponents of the law and the Department of Justice on behalf of the Administration.
While the review of the petitions is preliminary, it sets the stage for oral arguments and a decision during the Court’s current term, which is slated to end this summer. A decision by the Court this summer would fall squarely within the 2012 Presidential campaign, either providing the Administration with the legal validation of the constitutionality of the law, or a stinging blow to contend with as the President campaigns for reelection.
A sign that the Court’s review of the law may be quickly approaching, today Congressman Paul Broun (R-Ga.) filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court requesting its review of the constitutionality of the healthcare law. Broun, himself an MD, partnered with the American Center for Law & Justice (ACLJ) to write the brief, which was signed by 105 additional Members of Congress.