14 States across US sue to block health care law

Attorneys general from 14 states across America on Tuesday filed lawsuits challenging an overhaul of America's $2.5 trillion healthcare system, 7 minutes after President Barack Obama signed the landmark legislation. One joint lawsuit by a dozen Republicans and a Democrat claims the sweeping reforms violate state-government rights in the US Constitution and will force massive new spending on hard-pressed state governments. The joint suit was led by Florida and was filed with a federal court in Pensacola, Florida, according to the office of Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum. The lawsuit says the law, which expands the government health plan for the poor, imposes new taxes on the wealthy and requires insurers to cover people with preexisting medical conditions, violates the constitution's commerce clause by requiring nearly all Americans to buy health insurance. McCollum, who is seeking the Republican nomination to run for Florida governor, said the healthcare reforms would add $1.6 billion to Florida's spending on the Medicaid health program for poor people. The lawsuit asks the trial court to declare that the federal government is violating the sovereignty of the states and to bar federal agencies from enforcing the new law.