Virginia attorney general Ken Cuccinelli plans to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to fast-track his challenge to the President Barack Obama administration's health care overhaul.
Cuccinelli filed a lawsuit against the federal government, using the same argument 26 other states are using to challenge the health care law: that forcing citizens to purchase health insurance is unconstitutional.
A federal judge sided with Cuccinelli back in December. But now the attorney general says businesses can't afford for to wait for the lawsuit to run its course through lower courts. He announced Thursday that he's seeking an expedited review of the case in the Supreme Court.
Cuccinelli said it could cost Virginia at least $20 million just to prepare for the health care reform changes if the provision that requires insurance isn't blocked sooner.
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"All of our businesses in Virginia are severely affected as well, and we'd like, for their benefit, to resolve this as quickly as possible," Cuccinelli told News4's Julie Carey on Thursday. "Uncertainty is a major problem for our economy now, and this [health care law provision] is part of it."
The Justice Department said the case should first be heard by the Court of Appeals.
