Posted on 02/03/2012 2:13:46 PM PST by NYer
WASHINGTON, February 3, 2012 (LifeSiteNews.com) – U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduced a bill on Monday to rebut the threat to religious organizations presented by the Obama administration mandate that virtually all health insurers must provide sterilizations and abortifacient birth control free of charge.
Rubio’s bill, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 2012, aims to expand the exemption from the mandate to cover all religious organizations, such as universities, hospitals, and charities, rather than merely houses of worship, as is the case under the current extremely narrow exemption.
The bill denounces the current exemption as “unprecedented in Federal law” and declares that “no guideline or regulation” under the federal health care law “shall require any individual or entity to offer, provide, or purchase coverage for a contraception or sterilization service, or related education or counseling, to which that individual or entity is opposed on the basis of religious belief.”
“This is a common sense bill that simply says the government can’t force religious organizations to abandon the fundamental tenets of their faith because the government says so,” said Rubio, as quoted in a Liberty Counsel press release this week.
In response to outrage over the mandate, Obama’s Department of Health and Human Services gave religious groups an extra year to comply with the mandate.
News that the administration wouldn’t budge on the mandate was met with widespread opposition in U.S. Catholic dioceses this weekend, with 142 bishops heading dioceses denouncing the rule. Leaders of other Christian denominations and religions have also expressed opposition to the mandate.
Catholic Ping
Please freepmail me if you want on/off this list
Good start ... we need a Representative to introduce identical legislation in the House. It’s would pass more quickly there, and apply pressure to the demonicRat controlled Senate.
... “On every piece of legislation, I came down on the side of life,” Romney said at the Family Research Council’s Values Voters Summit in 2007. That’s a matter of interpretation.Rubio compromised himself on this issue. He now has as much credibility as Romney on abortion, which is what happens to you when you join with Romney on any issue.
For instance, Romney’s Massachusetts health care reform law created an 11-member “Health Care Connector Board” that would ensure affordable pricing for various health insurance plans. Romney appointed actuary Bruce Butler, CEO of Associated Industries of Massachusetts Rick Lord, and economist Jonathan Gruber. Four administration officials from Romney’s cabinet were also appointed to the board, per the law: his Secretary of the Executive Office for Administration and Finance; the Medicaid Director in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; the Commissioner of Insurance; and the Executive Director of the Group Insurance Commission.
The law also allowed the governor to appoint the executive director of the Connector Authority, and Romney picked senior vice president for policy development at Tufts Associated Health Plan Jon Kingsdale.
Kingsdale wrote a memo to the Connector Authority recommending that for abortions, insurance companies require co-pays between $0 and $100, depending on income level. In September 2006, that was approved by the Connector Authority. Every health care plan offered to low-income Massachusetts residents covers abortion.
Want to see for yourself? Go to this archived page from the 2006 Connector Authority, and download the “Commonwealth Care Frequently Asked Questions” at the bottom left side of the page.
At the 2009 Value Voters Summit, Mike Huckabee said, “The only thing inexpensive about Massachusetts’ health care bill is that there you can get a $50 abortion.” ...
Don't discount its value.
A Bill will probably pass in the HOR, Boehner will extol the virtues and hard work, Reid will table the Bill and you will hear nary a word from the "esteem" Speaker of the House again about the subject.
He is GREAT. Thank you, Marco!!
Hussein sure has evil, cold eyes. Soulless bastard.
Great. Make them take a stand. What will Pelosi do I wonder..
The pig obuma and his Nazi bureaucrats don’t have the Constitutional power or right to issue dictates and edicts with the force of law. Impeach this bastard, you gutless worms in the House - now.
Rubio made a stupid statement defending Romney on illegal immigration. Unfortunately, it came at a bad time and was immediately interpreted by the press as “Rubio endorses Romney.”
I think it’s unfortunate that Rubio didn’t say anything one way or the other, although I believe he did make a general statement that he wasn’t endorsing anybody.
I think this was a novice mistake and he probably didn’t know how to get out of it, because his positions overall have been solidly conservative and I don’t think he’s a Santorum type (big-government and conservative only on abortion).
However, I’d be much less likely to vote for him in the future until he clarifies this, and if he’s for Romney, I wouldn’t vote for him at all, ever. That said, it’s wrong to imply that he’s an overall defender or supporter of Romney, and I don’t think you should do that.
Sen. Rubio introduces bill to reverse Obama birth.
Back to the Future.:)
Yet another ‘nibble around the edges’. How about get the governments’ tentacles the HELL outta the whole medicine side of our lives (as well as others)!?
Yet again, no strong definition between the two parties, just continue to play patty-cake ‘across the aisle’ as usual *spit*.
The problem is that Romney will tell Rubio to pull the bill.
Pope hits out at 'radical secularism'
‘We Will Not Comply’: Catholic Leaders Distribute Letter Slamming Obama Admin Contraceptive Mandate
‘We Will Not Comply’: Catholic Leaders Distribute Letter Slamming Obama Admin Contraceptive Mandate
Bruskewitz: Fight Insurance Ruling [Sebelius a "bitter, fallen away Catholic"]
Letter from Archbishop John G. Vlazny on the matter of freedom of conscience and decisions by HHS
Bishop Olmsted's Letter to Catholics [Catholic Caucus]
Liberty for the Amish & Quakers but not Catholics. . .
Contraception mandate prompts Peoria bishop to instate St. Michael Prayer (Catholic Caucus)
Phoenix bishop (Olmstead): defy feds on birth control
A letter from Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr concerning HHS edict
Speak honestly: abortion is ‘the killing of tiny human beings in the womb’ – Denver bishop
Bishop [Daniel Jenky] Blasts Secularist Intolerance, Calls For ‘Assertive Action’ to Defend Church
(Pittsburgh Bishop Zubik comments:) HHS delays rule on contraceptive coverage
Dolan: Natural law, not religious preference, dictates all life sacred
Religious leaders blast HHS over contraception mandate
Mandated Contraception, Sterilization: Caesar Demands Church Violate Conscience
OBAMA’S CONTEMPT FOR RELIGIOUS LIBERTY (mandates coverage of sterilization & contraception)
Implications of Obama Admin move to force Cath hospitals to provide contraception and sterilizations
Catholic doctors’ group launches petition against contraception mandate
Contraception mandate tramples religious freedom, US bishops say
GREAT.
Rubio 2012.
Pure vermin....and he must be removed like the cancer he is.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
