President Barack Obama’s contraceptive mandate is being fiercely opposed by some in the Senate, including Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., who seeks to repeal the requirement, citing religious freedom.
The mandate, stated in Obama’s healthcare legislation, would require private companies to provide health coverage for contraceptives with no cost to employees.
Under the new law set to take effect in August, an employee of a company with private insurance would not be charged a deductible for a prescription contraceptive, which would be funded by the employer, according to the White House website.
The mandate does not account for some religious beliefs, so if an employer disagrees with providing emergency or standard contraception based on religious grounds, he or she would still be federally required to provide the coverage, according to the new law.
The Catholic Church is challenging the mandate as an assault on religious freedom, and the diocese of Jefferson City is holding a rally March 27 to protest it, according to its website.
“We believe this new requirement signals a direct attack on our religious freedom,” the Missouri Catholic Convention stated in a news release.
The MCC is a public policy agency of the Roman Catholic Church in Missouri.
MCC Executive Director Mike Hoey said the mandate not only violates Catholic beliefs but also sends the message that government could have the authority to make further intrusions into religious freedoms in the future.
“Once the principle is accepted that government can override the moral convictions of individuals and churches, then there is no reason why government cannot make further demands, such as requiring coverage for surgical abortions and other morally objectionable practices,” Hoey said.
Blunt is currently working with the Senate to repeal the mandate and said in a news release that he is working with constituents on a bi-partisan basis to reverse the contraception mandate.
“It’s still clear that President Obama does not understand this isn’t about cost, it’s about who controls the religious views of faith-based institutions,” Blunt said. “President Obama believes that he should have that control. Our Constitution states otherwise.”
In a recent update to Obama’s healthcare law posted to the White House website, the administration stated they will allow certain religious organizations to be exempt from the contraceptive mandate only.
Included in the exceptions, all churches will be exempt from the contraceptive mandate, no individual health care provider will be forced to prescribe contraception and no individual will be forced to buy or use contraception.
Planned Parenthood has been advocating for women for more than 90 years and sees available contraception as an inherent right for all women, said Michelle Trupiano, public affairs manager for Planned Parenthood in Kansas and Missouri.
Availability of contraception is linked to decreased mortality rate for infants as well as mothers, Trupiano said.
Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America said last Friday in a news release that Planned Parenthood will fight vigorously to protect women’s rights to birth control coverage.
“Sen. Roy Blunt’s proposal is so out of the mainstream, it would allow any business or corporation to deny any essential health care service they object to, including coverage for birth control,” Richards said.
St. Louis Archbishop Robert Carlson said in a news release last Friday the religious freedoms of Americans are still under fire, and he urges citizens to keep their sight on that issue.
“The framers of the Constitution recognized the eternal principle that man’s relation with his God is above human legislation and his rights of conscience inalienable,” Carlson stated, quoting a past Congressional document. “It is an inborn principle which nothing can eradicate.”
