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AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Reaction to the U.S. Supreme Court upholding the nationwide tax subsidies underpinning President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. More than 832,000 Texans will now continue to receive tax credits to help pay for health insurance coverage many would not otherwise be able to afford:
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"The Supreme Court abandoned the Constitution to resuscitate a failing health care law. Today's action underscores why it is now more important than ever to ensure we elect a President who will repeal Obamacare and enact real health care reforms." —Gov. Greg Abbott.
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"The Affordable Care Act is broken and a burden to not only Texas, but our entire country. This failed federal mandate will continue to bring increased costs to states and individuals. We need more flexibility, not mandates, to improve our health care system." —Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.
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"While today's ruling is disappointing, Obamacare remains one of the broadest overreaches of federal authority in our nation's history and we must continue to call on our leaders in Washington to step up and put an end to this job-killing law," —Attorney General Ken Paxton.
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"Today's decision in King v. Burwell is judicial activism, plain and simple. For the second time in just a few years, a handful of unelected judges has rewritten the text of Obamacare in order to impose this failed law on millions of Americans." —U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, now running for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.
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"While I disagree with the ruling, it was never up to the Supreme Court to save us from Obamacare. We need leadership in the White House that recognizes the folly of having to pass a bill to know what's in it. We need leadership that understands a heavy-handed, one-size-fits-all policy does nothing to help health outcomes for Americans." —Former Gov. Rick Perry, now running for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.
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"With more than 1 million Texans purchasing private health insurance coverage through the federal marketplace, Texas hospitals can breathe a sigh of relief now that the Supreme Court has ruled in favor of Burwell. Texas still leads the nation in the number of uninsured and we have significant work to do to increase access to coverage. But there is little doubt that hospitals' financial challenges would be even greater if more than 1 million Texans were added to the rolls of uninsured," Texas Hospital Association President Ted Shaw.
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"We look forward to the day Gov. Abbott and the Republican-controlled Legislature put partisan games aside. It's time for Texas to accept the billions in federal Medicaid funds to close the coverage gap so every Texas family has a doctor and a chance to live a healthy life." —Texas Democratic Party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa.
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"Unfortunately today's decision doesn't change the fact that Obamacare is broken. Texans are faced with the reality of skyrocketing premiums that could rise as much as 64% next year as a result of this law. Democrats can celebrate today, but they do so at the expense of millions of hardworking Americans who have suffered because of Obamacare." —Texas Republican Party Chairman Tom Mechler.
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