Democrats on Capitol Hill celebrate Obamacare subsidies ruling

WASHINGTON — Democrats erupted in celebration across Capitol Hill Thursday after the Supreme Court upheld the insurance subsidies created under President Obama's Affordable Care Act.
"We're so jubilant about this," House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., told reporters. "American workers and middle class families will continue to enjoy the benefits of quality, affordable healthcare."
"America won today," said Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., in remarks on the floor shortly after the ruling was announced. "The Affordable Care Act is not perfect, no law ever is, but this law is working for millions and millions of Americans."
Reid called on Republicans to relent on over four years of legislative efforts to repeal or dismantle the president's health care law. "Stop banging your heads against the wall," Reid said. "Move on."
Republicans had had a fair measure of confidence that the court would strike down the subsidies, and top lawmakers in both chambers for months had been meeting privately on alternatives they could introduce in that event.
Top Republicans made clear Thursday that they would not give in on their ongoing efforts to repeal or change the law. "We will continue our efforts to repeal the law and replace it with patient-centered solutions that meet the needs of seniors, small business owners, and middle-class families," said House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio.
Outside conservative groups like the anti-tax Club for Growth immediately called on the GOP-controlled Congress to use special budget rules known as reconciliation to repeal Obamacare. The reconciliation process provides for a legislative vehicle that can't be filibustered in the Senate.
Top Republicans made clear Thursday that they would not give in on their ongoing efforts to repeal or change the law. "We will continue our efforts to repeal the law and replace it with patient-centered solutions that meet the needs of seniors, small business owners, and middle-class families," said House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio.

Obama would veto any attempt to repeal the law that comes to his desk, and Boehner declined Thursday to commit to using the process for a repeal effort. "There's been no decision made as to how to proceed on that," he said.
Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., a physician and one of the lawmakers who had been working on a GOP alternative in the event the court ruled the other way, said GOP efforts would continue unabated. "We'll take every action possible in Congress, in the courts, and in statehouses across our country to stop this unworkable and unaffordable law from hurting more Americans," he said.
The ruling — the second Supreme Court decision to uphold the law — was equally likely to strengthen the resolve of Democrats to defend the law and any effort to dismantle it.
"The decision is a direct rejection of the heartless effort led by health care law opponents to push families — many of whom have insurance coverage for the first time — back into the ranks of the vulnerable uninsured," said Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va.
The decision appeared to only fire up conservative opposition to the law and the Obama administration. Rep Darrell Issa, R-Calif., called the decision "an egregious expansion of executive power" and accused the Court of taking an "incredibly illogical leap."
"This decision weakens Congress' ability to constrain the executive branch and amounts to handing President Obama a $4 trillion check to spend as he sees fit, contrary to Congress' and the states' clearly expressed wishes."
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