Oklahoma Congressman Witnesses Supreme Court Health Care Hearings

Oklahoma Congressman John Sullivan sat in on Tuesday's proceedings as Supreme Court Justices decide the constitutionality of President Obama's healthcare reform act.

He was asked to be there on behalf of all the House of Representatives. Sullivan spoke with News On 6 right after Tuesday's hearing wrapped up.

Republican Representative Sullivan is on the Energy and Commerce Committee and the Affordable Care Act came through that committee.

He believes the justices are divided on President Obama's signature legislation.

"It was a historic day. It was an extreme honor to be there," Sullivan said.

Representative John Sullivan feels like both sides of the health care debate were fairly represented during the Supreme Court hearing.

The part that could be ruled unconstitutional is the individual mandate requiring all Americans to buy insurance or face a fine.

"The speculation is that the individual mandate is teetering right now in the hands of one justice, Justice Kennedy, and they think he is siding with striking down the individual mandate," Sullivan said.

Sullivan feels the mandate is unconstitutional, but agrees with other parts that are already in place like getting health insurance for a pre-existing condition. He says requiring people to purchase a service is wrong.

"Congress can step in and we're willing to lead that charge in the house, especially republicans in the House, to get that done. We need to reform our health care system, but we don't need a massive takeover," he said.

U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe, R-Oklahoma, also weighed in once the justices wrapped up.

"Those who have the philosophy such as our president does, President Obama, think that somehow government can run everything better than the private sector, than people," Inhofe said.

Senator Inhofe and Representative Sullivan both say they're glad the justices recognize what's at stake in this decision.

Oklahoma is one of 26 states that opposes the part of the law that would force them to spend millions of dollars to expand Medicaid, but the President says the government is picking up almost all the costs.