U.S. District Court Judge Rosemary Collyer ruled on Thursday that the Obama administration is violating a provision of the law by paying promised reimbursements to health insurers who provide coverage at reduced costs to low-income Americans.
Collyer found that Constitution says “No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law,” however the administration has continued to pay billions to insurers for their extra cost of providing health coverage.
“Paying [those] reimbursements without an appropriation thus violates the Constitution,” Collyer wrote. “Congress is the only source for such an appropriation, and no public money can be spent without one.”
House Speaker Paul Ryan called the decision “an historic win for the Constitution.”