The Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 decision Thursday that the majority of the recent health care bill, the Affordable Health Care for America Act (also known as Obamacare), is constitutional. 

Chief Justice Roberts was the deciding vote in the case, saying that the individual mandate was legal. The mandate was one of the most important pieces to the bill, which would require all individuals to have health insurance or else they would receive a tax.

The government has argued that the mandate was needed so that the other parts of the bill could function.

President Obama addressed the press today, saying that this was a “victory for people all over the country.” 

“In doing so, they’ve reaffirmed a fundamental principle that here in America — in the wealthiest nation on Earth – no illness or accident should lead to any family’s financial ruin.”

While most of the bill came out unscathed the provisions over Medicaid expansion was curtailed. The expansion can continue, the court said, but the government can not threaten to take funding from the states if they do not comply.

Republicans have begun firing back though, saying that they will now work to repeal the law as soon as possible.

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said, “What the Court did today was say that Obamacare does not violate the Constitution. What they did not do was say that Obamacare is good law or that it’s good policy.””