With several “must pass” pieces of legislation on the horizon that present an opportunity to attach a repeal of the controversial birth control mandate, U.S. bishops are stepping up the pressure on lawmakers to take action to overturn the unjust law.
CNSNews.com is reporting that the U.S. bishops were disappointed that congressional leaders refused to attach a bill known as HR 940 to a recent “must pass” continuing resolution (CR). If passed, HR 940 would permanently negate Obamacare’s birth control mandate by insuring that no worker, private for-profit or non-profit business, school or charity can be forced to provide a health care plan that includes coverage for any services that violate their moral or religious beliefs. It also protects health care workers from being discriminated against if they refuse to participate in abortions or abortion-related services.
“Providers of health care, as well as those who offer or purchase insurance, should not face an unacceptable choice between preserving their religious and moral integrity or participating in our health care system,” Cardinal Sean O’Malley, archbishop of Boston, who chairs the bishop’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities, said in a recent letter sent to every member of the House. “Therefore, I urge you to support H.R. 940, and to help incorporate its policy into upcoming ‘must-pass’ legislation.”
Cardinal O’Malley’s letter was sent after Republican House leaders decided not to include language that would have repealed the mandate in a March 6 floor vote on the CR.
This came as a great disappointment to the bishops, particularly when considering that House leaders permitted an amendment to be attached to the CR that prohibited the Obama administration from spending money on foreign-made ball bearings.
The Senate is expected to vote as early as today on its own version of the CR, which differs from the House version. This means the House will have to take up the CR once again before it can become law, giving lawmakers a second chance to include the repeal of the birth control mandate. Before the CR can become law, both houses would have to approve the same version.
As CNS explains: “If the Republican-controlled House were to agree to the request of the Catholic bishops and move this week to include H.R. 940 in the ‘must-pass’ CR, the Democrat-controlled Senate and President Obama would have a choice to make. They could choose to preserve the administration’s power to force Catholics and other Christians to act against their faith, reject the House-passed CR, and thus risk a shut down of the federal government. Or they could choose to approve a House-passed CR incorporating H.R. 940 and permanently surrender the administration’s regulatory ambition to force Catholics and other Christians to buy and provide health-care plans that cover sterilizations, contraception and abortion-inducing drugs.”
If Republican leaders decide to include HR 940 in another upcoming “must pass” piece of legislation, a bill to lift the debt limit, it would force the Democratic-controlled Senate and President Obama to face a similar choice.
“In this case, it would be between preserving the administration’s regulation forcing Catholics and other Christians to act against their faith and preserving the administration’s authority to continue borrowing money to pay the expenses the government is now running in excess of its revenues,” CNS explains.
“The Senate and President Obama will never face either of these choices, however, if House Speaker John Boehner decides to spare them by spurning the request of the Catholic bishops and declining to include H.R. 940 in ‘must-pass’ legislation.”
Catholics can help the bishops take a stand against this egregious infringement on religious freedom by contacting House Speaker John Boehner and asking him to include HR 940 in must-pass legislation.
Speaker Boehner’s office can be contacted at (202) 225-0600 or via e-mail.
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