Mixed Reactions to Health Care Anniversary

One year ago today, President Obama signed the federal health care law.  Below you'll find various reactions to the law's first anniversary.

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio

"That day, that week, the people said one thing, and their government did another. Yet the people, unfazed by Washington's payoffs and backroom deals, kept speaking out as the law proved unpopular, unaffordable, and unconstitutional."

"In January, the House passed a measure, consistent with the will of the people, repealing the job-crushing health care law. The House has also voted to defund the law altogether. In the coming weeks, you'll see more votes and more hearings in the House to take this law apart, step by step. That includes repealing the law's mandatory spending slush funds. In short, we will do whatever we can to ensure ObamaCare is never fully implemented."

"Together, we can repeal ObamaCare and replace it with common-sense reforms that lower costs and protect jobs."

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

"One year ago, President Barack Obama signed into law the Affordable Care Act; with the power of his pen, we made history for our country and progress for the American people. We enacted legislation that extends health care coverage to 32 million more Americans and lowers health care costs, while creating jobs, strengthening the middle class and reducing the deficit. This law is about innovation and patient safety, Americans' economic security and our entrepreneurial spirit. With this legislation health care will be a right, not a privilege, for all Americans."

"Americans are already benefitting from this law, with a strong Patients' Bill of Rights that puts an end to the worst of the insurance industry's abuses. Young people can now stay on their parents' plan until they are 26 years old; no longer can insurers place a lifetime cap on health coverage or deny coverage to children with pre-existing conditions; seniors are getting help paying for prescription drugs; small businesses get tax credits to provide coverage to their employees. What a difference a year makes."

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.

"One year ago today, over the objections of the American people, the disastrous health spending bill that Washington Democrats rammed through with a partisan vote became law. At the time, then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said, "We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it."

"Well, now we know-and the results aren't pretty. Federal health spending is estimated to go up more than $450 billion over the next decade. Taxes will go up more than $550 billion. And a half-trillion dollars will be cut from Medicare to be spent on new government programs."

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash.

"One year ago, I stood with a little boy from Washington state named Marcelas Owens as we watched President Obama sign health care reform into law. More than 10,000 Washington state residents had sent me their health care stories-about their troubles accessing affordable care, paying for prescription drugs, or covering their employees. And thanks to this important law, our health care system is now working better for them and millions more in Washington state and across the country.

Virginia's Republican Governor Bob McDonnell, whose state was the first to file suit against the federal government over the law

"It is estimated that implementation of the federal healthcare bill will cost Virginia $2 billion between now and 2022. While we all agree that we must make healthcare more affordable, accessible and accountable, it cannot occur in a manner that infringes on our constitutional rights, makes it harder for private-sector employers to hire new workers, creates major new government bureaucracies, raises taxes and places unfunded mandates on states that we simply cannot afford. We need to improve healthcare in our nation with common sense, free market solutions, not a federal government controlled plan."

"A majority of governors across the county strongly support our call for an expedited review by the Supreme Court of the pending health care lawsuits. This will permit us to obtain certainty and finality on the law promptly, and the Obama Administration's opposition to this request is extremely disappointing and not in the best interest of the American people. As we move past this one year anniversary, we must get clarity on a law that will have a huge impact on states, business and individuals in the years ahead, should it be implemented. We need to improve our healthcare system, but this is the wrong way to do it. It must be replaced with improvements to our excellent medical care system in a way that improves access and reduces costs, while not stifling innovation and creating unsustainable burdens on the states."