(CNN) – With a decision looming from the U.S. Supreme Court on the constitutionality of President Barack Obama's sweeping health care law, two lawmakers wouldn't describe in detail Sunday any plans for replacing the landmark piece of legislation.
Speaking on CNN's "State of the Union," neither Republican Sen. John Barrasso nor Democratic Rep. Chris van Hollen could specify what preparations they were making should the Affordable Care Act be struck down.
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"We don't know exactly what the scope of the Supreme Court decision will be or, of course, what it will be. But the reality is those very important protections are at risk if the Supreme Court knocks it down," Van Hollen, who represents Maryland, told CNN Chief Political Correspondent Candy Crowley.
Pressed to say whether Democrats had a back-up plan, Van Hollen explained the Affordable Care Act was his party's plan to begin with.
"The answer is that we put this plan in place," Van Hollen said. "It makes sure that kids who have pre-existing conditions are not denied care. It allows kids up to the age of 26 to be on their parents' insurance plans."
"If they strike that down, there is no other easy answer," he said.
Barrasso was similarly vague, saying that if the court allows the law, or parts of the law, to stand, Republicans would use legislative measures to repeal it.
"I believe there is going to be a stinging rebuke of this president's centerpiece legislation when the Supreme Court rules later this month, and they should rule that this is unconstitutional," the Wyoming senator said. "If not, the Republicans want to repeal everything that is left standing."
A Republican plan, Barrasso said, would be shorter and less complicated, though he didn't provide further details.
"You'll see step-by-step common sense solutions, but you are not going to see a law so voluminous that it cannot be read, so incoherent that it cannot be understood," Barrasso said.
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