Lawsuits: Texas vs. the Feds
By Becca Aaronson
In the fight for states’ rights, no other state comes to mind before Texas. Gov. Rick Perry has pitted the state’s interests against those of the federal government on a variety of issues — including health care reform and environmental standards — arguing the 10th Amendment grants state governments more autonomy than many of the laws passed by the federal government allow.
The number of lawsuits currently pending against the federal government still stands at 17. Although the Texas redistricting case that reached the U.S. Supreme Court closed in February, Texas filed another suit on March 16 to overturn the federal decision to cut funding for the Texas Women’s Health Program. It’s the second lawsuit involving women’s health — the other challenges the constitutionality of a federal law requiring all employers to include free contraception in health benefits.
