Va. House Passes Bill to Defy Health Care Mandate
By: William C. Flook
Examiner Staff Writer
Source: Courtesy of The Washington Examiner
February 12, 2010
Virginia’s House of Delegates on Thursday voted to defy a potential health insurance mandate from Congress. The vote, which follows the passage of a similar measure in the Virginia Senate last week, puts the state legislature squarely in opposition to a core provision of congressional Democrats’ health care bill.
The Virginia Health Care Freedom Act, sponsored by Del. Bob Marshall, R-Manassas, passed 72-26 in the Republican-controlled chamber.
The legislation looks to exempt Virginians from any government requirement to buy into a health plan, although its larger purpose is as a “message bill” meant to persuade federal legislators — especially those representing Virginia — to back off from the proposed overhaul.
“It’s pretty clear that government-run health care is unwelcome in Virginia,” said Victoria Cobb, president of the conservative Family Foundation. “Hopefully our federal representatives will get the message and pull the plug on Obamacare.”
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