Covington & Burling partner Robert Long said the invitation he received from the U.S. Supreme Court to participate in a challenge to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was unexpected. But it didn’t take the veteran U.S. Supreme Court advocate long to accept.

“I didn’t really debate that issue very much,” said Long, whose pro bono participation as an amicus curiae in U.S. Department of Health and Human Services v. Florida marked his 17th argument before the Court.