WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., today criticized the Obama Administration’s decision to use taxpayer funds to advertise Obamacare during the NCAA basketball tournament.

“This is yet another desperate attempt by the Administration to persuade young people to enroll in the President’s unaffordable, unworkable, and unpopular policy,” Wicker said. “Rather than spending an inordinate amount of time and taxpayer dollars to roll out celebrity endorsements and slick advertisements, the President should work with Republicans to find real market-driven solutions to America’s health-care crisis.”

The Obama Administration is releasing online, radio, and television ads during the NCAA basketball tournament featuring sports figures to push younger audiences to sign up for Obamacare before the March 31 deadline.

The Congressional Budget Office reported that in order for Obamacare to achieve solvency, 7 million people must be enrolled. To date, about 5 million have signed up, but the number of paying enrollees has not been reported.