Congressman Patrick McHenry (NC-10) issued the following statement today in response to news that a federal judge in Virginia declared the “individual mandate” provision in the new health care law to be unconstitutional.

“The individual mandate is the centerpiece of ObamaCare, and the Administration has argued that the penalty for not purchasing health coverage under the law is a ‘tax.’  However, any rational person would agree that this fee is clearly punishment for not purchasing a product,” said McHenry.  “This is a well-reasoned decision that upholds what most Americans believe to be the proper, constitutional boundaries of the federal government.  I am hopeful the Supreme Court will agree that ObamaCare goes far beyond the limits our founders placed on the federal government’s powers.”