Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson today expressed disappointment with the United State Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the Affordable Care Act.

“While I accept the Supreme Court’s decision, I am disappointed that the government now has the ability to tax American citizens if they don’t purchase a private product and I remain concerned with the precedent that sets for the future,” said Simpson. “If Americans can be taxed for not purchasing health insurance, the government’s ability to tax, or punish, American citizens as a means of driving their behavior seems unlimited. It is difficult not to see this as an approval of the significant expansion of the power of the federal government into the everyday lives of citizens.”

Despite the Court’s ruling, Simpson is calling on his colleagues in Congress to repeal the entire law and work to enact market-oriented health care reforms that hold the real promise of lowering costs and increasing access.

“While the Supreme Court has ruled that Obamacare is Constitutional, they have not said that it is a good idea or that it will bring down costs,” said Simpson. “Congress should re-double its effort to repeal Obamacare and begin the process of enacting market-based reforms that will truly lower costs and increase access.”

Simpson has long supported reforms that include, but are not limited to, medical liability reform, expanded health care savings accounts, association health plans, the ability to purchase health insurance across state lines, deductibility of health insurance costs for individuals as well as corporations, and the re-importation of prescription drugs.