Opinion ID: 72591
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Preemption Under the McCarran-Ferguson Act

Text: Section 2(b) of the McCarran-Ferguson Act provides, in relevant part, “[n]o Act of Congress shall be construed to invalidate, impair, or supersede any law enacted by any State for the purpose of regulating the business of insurance . . . unless such Act specifically relates to the business of insurance.” 15 U.S.C. § 1012(b). Thus, the McCarran-Ferguson Act ensures the supremacy of the states in the realm of insurance regulation. Whereas a federal law ordinarily supersedes an inconsistent state law, “[t]he first clause of § 2(b) reverses this by imposing what is, in effect, a clear-statement rule, a rule that state laws enacted ‘for the purpose of regulating the business of insurance’ do not yield to conflicting federal statutes unless a federal statute specifically requires otherwise.” United States Department of Treasury v. Fabe, 508 U.S. 491, 507,113 S. Ct. 2202, 2211, 124 L. Ed. 2d 449 (1993). Although Cooper did not invoke the McCarran-Ferguson Act in front of the district court, she now argues that her “conviction should not stand because the mail fraud and conspiracy statutes have been preempted by the McCarran-Ferguson Act.” Cooper’s Brief at 12. This court, however, “sit[s] to review the proceedings in the district court rather than to serve as a de novo forum where prior proceedings can be retried.” United States v. Johnson, 889 F.2d 1032, 1035 (11th Cir. 1989). 7 Accordingly, “[a]s a general rule, this court will not address an issue not decided by the district court.” United States v. McAllister, 77 F.3d 387, 389 (11th Cir. 1996). Although this rule is discretionary, we see no reason to depart from it in this case. Cooper had every reason and opportunity to raise this argument before the district court, and prohibiting her from raising it now will not result in a miscarriage of justice. Therefore, we decline to address the merits of Cooper’s McCarran-Ferguson Act argument.3