Summary
27 March 2012
President Barack Obama's healthcare reforms reaches the Supreme Court this week, as the nine most senior judges in the land hear three days of argument over whether or not the reforms are constitutional. This is one of the biggest cases to come before the Supreme Court in recent times.
Reporter
Paul Adams
People wait in line to watch the arguments on President Obama's healthcare legislation
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Report
Barack Obama's healthcare reforms, passed almost exactly two years ago, remain one of the most contentious aspects of his presidency. The bill was passed in the teeth of vociferous opposition from the Republican Party. Polls suggest that public opinion remains sharply divided.
A key provision that individual citizens should either buy health insurance or pay a penalty - the so-called individual mandate - has already been the subject of numerous legal challenges across the country. It was almost inevitable that the issue would ultimately reach the highest court in the land.
The nine justices who make up the Supreme Court, five of them regarded as conservatives, will spend a highly unusual three days hearing oral arguments. They'll issue their findings in the summer, just as this year's presidential election campaign swings into full gear. The impact on the campaign of a ruling on such an important political issue could be enormous.
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Vocabulary
- contentious
controversial
- aspects
parts, features
- in the teeth of vociferous opposition
despite very loud and outspoken criticism
- sharply divided
split into groups that disagree strongly
- provision
clause in a legal document
- mandate
order, rule
- numerous
many
- justices
judges
- oral
spoken
- swings into full gear
gathers pace
