House lawmakers are expected to vote soon on whether they will intervene to defend the ACA in a lawsuit filed by 20 states that seeks to undo the health law, according to The Hill.
A spokesperson for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told the publication a vote on whether to formally intervene in court will take place next week, as well as a vote on Jan. 3 on intervening in the lawsuit as part of the larger package of rules for the new legislative session.
The 20-state lawsuit, Texas v. United States, claims the ACA's individual mandate is unconstitutional because the tax law signed by President Donald Trump in December 2017, eliminates the penalty associated with the mandate, and the mandate is not severable from the rest of the health law.
U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor sided with the states in his Dec. 14 ruling. After the ruling, he said the ACA will remain in place during the appeal process.
The lawsuit could make its way to the U.S. Supreme Court, but legal experts do not think the states will win the case, according to The Hill.