Bishops Speak Out Against Contraception Mandate

Congratulations to the U.S. bishops for the strongly worded comments they officially filed this week to the Department of Health and Human Services in response to the August 1 announcement that all health care plans must cover contraceptives and sterilizations under regulations for preventive care created in response to the 2010 health care legislation.

In short, the bishops declare that the mandate “should be rescinded in its entirety.”

The bishops’ statement itself should be read by all. It is short, well-articulated, and contains much of the foundational rationale as to why the Catholic Church is opposed to the federal government mandating abortion, contraception and sterilization services as part of health care, and why it is in favor of exempting anyone with religious or moral objections from participating in such actions.

The bishops’ comments: http://www.usccb.org/about/general-counsel/rulemaking/upload/comments-to-hhs-on-preventive-services-2011-08.pdf

The bishops’ press release on the filing of their comments: http://www.usccb.org/news/2011/11-168.cfm

Add your voice

HHS is taking public comments on the contraceptive mandate until September 30. To join the bishops in public opposition to this policy, please submit your own comments to HHS.

To contact your U.S. representative to ask that he/she co-sponsor the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act, visit:  https://www.capwiz.com/f2c/issues/alert/?alertid=52689501

To contact your senators to ask that they co-sponsor the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act, visit:  https://www.capwiz.com/f2c/issues/alert/?alertid=53227616

And for a taste of the kind of shenanigans that are ahead if the mandate is not stopped, check out this piece in the Washington Times by CCL board member Bob Laird: Favoring abortinists in sex-slavery fight