Sen. Kaine Issues Statement on Appeals Court Decision on Affordable Care Act

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 -- Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, issued the following statement after the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals' decision declaring the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate unconstitutional and directing a district court to determine whether the rest of the law can stand without the individual mandate:

"The Fifth Circuit ruling is the result of the latest effort by Republicans -- in this case Republican State Attorneys General acting in concert with the Trump Administration -- to take health care away from millions of Americans.

"I am optimistic that, just as in previous lawsuits, the continuous efforts to sabotage health care will ultimately fail.

"And I am confident that the American people will remember who worked to expand their health care and who schemed to take it away."