Supreme Court Upholds Health Care Law Requiring Most To Have Health Insurance

The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld the individual insurance requirement at the heart of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul.

The court on Thursday handed Obama a campaign-season victory in rejecting arguments that Congress went too far in requiring most Americans to have health insurance or pay a penalty.

Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt issued a statement a reacting to the Supreme Court decision:  

"We're disappointed the Court upheld the individual mandate, and find it disturbing that they did not place a limit on the power of the federal government to control the lives of Americans. But, the battle isn't over. It is now up to the political process to repeal the act and replace it with measures that address the health care crisis within the confines of the Constitution. We must continue to oppose this act and multiple overreaching regulations proposed by the Obama Administration that cross the line of federal power."

Scott Pruitt attended Thursday's court session at the U.S. Supreme Court. He is in Washington D.C. Thursday to testify before a Congressional subcommittee.

Oklahoma filed a lawsuit against the health care act in January 2011 and filed an amicus brief in the Supreme Court case. Virginia and Florida also filed lawsuits, challenging the act. Twenty-five other states joined the Florida lawsuit.

The high court's move, however, hardly ends the political controversy; if anything, the decision is sure to renew calls for U.S. lawmakers to repeal the Affordable Care Act legislatively.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.