By Derek Draplin | The Center Square

Colorado Attorney General Scott Weiser said the state will "continue to stand up against" the federal government's assaults on the Affordable Care Act following a federal court ruling striking down a portion of the law.

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans ruled on Wednesday that the individual mandate within the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, is unconstitutional. 

The case, Texas v. United States of America, will now return to a lower court.

Weiser took a positive tone in a statement on Wednesday, pointing out that the entirety of the ACA is still intact.  

“Even though the Court found the individual mandate to be unconstitutional, it did not strike down the entire law, instead sending the case back to the lower court for further proceedings,” he said.

Weiser said that 700,000 Coloradans who have pre-existing conditions are able to get healthcare through the ACA, along with 400,000 Coloradans through Medicaid.

“We must continue to stand up against the federal government’s attacks on healthcare and the Justice Department’s wrongful decision to challenge – rather than defend – this important law,” he added.

Colorado is among other states including California, which are defending the ACA.

The case was brought by Texas and 19 other states who challenged the constitutionality of the individual mandate.