September 09, 2011
In honor of Constitution Day, Tulane Law School’s Professor Keith Werhan, Ashton Phelps Chair of Constitutional Law, will deliver a lecture entitled “The Anatomy of the Constitutional Litigation Challenging Congress’ Health-Care Reform.” The lecture will be held Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2011, at 11:30 a.m. in room 257 of the law school’s John Giffen Weinmann Hall (6329 Freret Street, New Orleans).
The lecture will focus on the constitutional arguments that have been developed in support of, and in opposition to, the constitutionality of Congress’ healthcare-reform statute, as well as on the judicial decisions to date in the constitutional litigation challenging the statute. According to Professor Werhan, it is widely expected that the Supreme Court will decide on the constitutionality of the healthcare-reform statute during the upcoming term that begins this October.
“The Court’s decision will be extraordinarily important in mapping (or perhaps re-mapping) the constitutional distribution of legislative powers between Congress and the state legislatures, and perhaps as well, in resetting the relative responsibilities of Congress and the courts regarding the exercise of national authority,” said Werhan. “There also are individual rights issues at stake: opponents complain about the requirement that most people purchase health insurance; supporters defend the law as long overdue progress, addressing the pressing human right of access to appropriate healthcare.”
How would you vote? Hear both sides of the argument—next Wednesday (Sept. 14), 11:30 a.m.—before joining one yourself.
This event is free and open to members of the Tulane University community, as well as the public.