Bishops Renew Call To Legislative Action On Religious Liberty

USCCB ^ | USCCB

[Rutles4Ever]

February 10, 2012

WASHINGTON – The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) have issued the following statement:

The Catholic bishops have long supported access to life-affirming healthcare for all, and the conscience rights of everyone involved in the complex process of providing that healthcare. That is why we raised two serious objections to the "preventive services" regulation issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in August 2011.

First, we objected to the rule forcing private health plans — nationwide, by the stroke of a bureaucrat's pen—to cover sterilization and contraception, including drugs that may cause abortion. All the other mandated "preventive services" prevent disease, and pregnancy is not a disease. Moreover, forcing plans to cover abortifacients violates existing federal conscience laws. Therefore, we called for the rescission of the mandate altogether.

Second, we explained that the mandate would impose a burden of unprecedented reach and severity on the consciences of those who consider such "services" immoral: insurers forced to write policies including this coverage; employers and schools forced to sponsor and subsidize the coverage; and individual employees and students forced to pay premiums for the coverage. We therefore urged HHS, if it insisted on keeping the mandate, to provide a conscience exemption for all of these stakeholders—not just the extremely small subset of "religious employers" that HHS proposed to exempt initially.

Today, the President has done two things.

First, he has decided to retain HHS's nationwide mandate of insurance coverage of sterilization and contraception, including some abortifacients. This is both unsupported in the law and remains a grave moral concern. We cannot fail to reiterate this, even as so many would focus exclusively on the question of religious liberty.

Second, the President has announced some changes in how that mandate will be administered, which is still unclear in its details. As far as we can tell at this point, the change appears to have the following basic contours:

·It would still mandate that all insurers must include coverage for the objectionable services in all the policies they would write. At this point, it would appear that self-insuring religious employers, and religious insurance companies, are not exempt from this mandate.

·It would allow non-profit, religious employers to declare that they do not offer such coverage. But the employee and insurer may separately agree to add that coverage. The employee would not have to pay any additional amount to obtain this coverage, and the coverage would be provided as a part of the employer's policy, not as a separate rider.

·Finally, we are told that the one-year extension on the effective date (from August 1, 2012 to August 1, 2013) is available to any non-profit religious employer who desires it, without any government application or approval process.

These changes require careful moral analysis, and moreover, appear subject to some measure of change. But we note at the outset that the lack of clear protection for key stakeholders—for self-insured religious employers; for religious and secular for-profit employers; for secular non-profit employers; for religious insurers; and for individuals—is unacceptable and must be corrected. And in the case where the employee and insurer agree to add the objectionable coverage, that coverage is still provided as a part of the objecting employer's plan, financed in the same way as the rest of the coverage offered by the objecting employer. This, too, raises serious moral concerns.

We just received information about this proposal for the first time this morning; we were not consulted in advance. Some information we have is in writing and some is oral. We will, of course, continue to press for the greatest conscience protection we can secure from the Executive Branch. But stepping away from the particulars, we note that today's proposal continues to involve needless government intrusion in the internal governance of religious institutions, and to threaten government coercion of religious people and groups to violate their most deeply held convictions. In a nation dedicated to religious liberty as its first and founding principle, we should not be limited to negotiating within these parameters. The only complete solution to this religious liberty problem is for HHS to rescind the mandate of these objectionable services.

We will therefore continue—with no less vigor, no less sense of urgency—our efforts to correct this problem through the other two branches of government. For example, we renew our call on Congress to pass, and the Administration to sign, the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act. And we renew our call to the Catholic faithful, and to all our fellow Americans, to join together in this effort to protect religious liberty and freedom of conscience for all.

[prairiebreeze]

If the Bishops cave, the nation will be so demoralized I’m not sure we could recover. Seriously.

(No I’m not Catholic, I’m evangelical)

[DNA.2012]

"Hello Barack, we read your stupid 'policy revision' and it is B.S."

"It would still, in practice, compel the inclusion of contraception coverage in the insurance policies of private religious institutions. The only 'change' is semantic, calling that contraception coverage a 'free benefit' provided by the insurer, even though the insurer would not be providing any such 'free benefit' except as a direct corollary of the private religious institutions purchase of the insurance."

"Thus, the reply to your un-Constitutional subversion of freedom of religion - guaranteed by the First Amendment you f'ing prick - remains the same:"

"WE WILL NOT COMPLY."

[mwl8787]

Thanks for the feedback. Your sarcasm is so helpful to constructive dialogue.

I suggest you visit NRO, hotair or other conservative sites that blasted the timidity of Bishop Dolan and other leity today.

[Lmo56]

And in the case where the employee and insurer agree to add the objectionable coverage, that coverage is still provided as a part of the objecting employer's plan, financed in the same way as the rest of the coverage offered by the objecting employer.

Under Obama's original proposal, religious organizations would offer a base healthcare plan to all employees.

Female employees who wished to obtain optional contraceptive services would then be provided these additional products by the religious organizations "free of charge" - although the religious organizations would be charged for the additional services by their insurance carriers.

NOW, Obama wants to REQUIRE the religious organizations' insurance carriers to provide these optional contraceptive services DIRECTLY to the female employees [who want them] for FREE.

This is all well and good - AS LONG AS THE PRICE FOR THE BASE PLAN [CHARGED OF ALL EMPLOYEES AND PAID FOR BY THE RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS] DOES NOT INCREASE.

IF the insurance carrier INCREASES the price of the base plan [for all employees] EVEN ONE PENNY, then the religious organizations ARE paying for contraceptive services.

Insurance carriers ARE NOT in the charity business - SO YOU CAN BET THAT THEY WILL PASS ALONG THE COST.

OBAMA'S NEW PLAN IS BOGUS !!!

[Salvation]

I don't think it's a hoax, not with 95 percent of the U. S. Dioceses coming out against Obortion O on this!

Bishops Renew Call To Legislative Action On Religious Liberty
EDITORIAL: Obama’s free abortion pills
Hannity on now with Priests, Pastors and Rabbis. Please watch
The Obama HHS 'Compromise' Switches the Tiger for the Lion (Not all Catholics buying Obama's bull)
U.S. bishops ‘express concerns’ about Obama mandate ‘accommodation’
What Compromise? This Policy Leaves Religious Liberty in Peril and Planned Parenthood Smiling (Albert Mohler Opinion)

Don't Be Deceived! Evil Obama Policy Now Even MORE Evil!
Obama’s Contraceptive 'Compromise' Doesn't Pass the Smell Test ("It doesn't change a thing")
Compromise or Accommodation, it’s still unacceptable. (updated from Catholic Vote)
Pres. Obama’s “Plan B” compromise, Sr. Keehan, and the Magisterium of Nuns
Land Says Obama Mandate Most Anti-Catholic Government Action in 150 Years
Motive, Means and Opportunity: Obama’s Assault on Catholics
(Exempt Catholics) Joe Biden, Bill Daley warned of contraceptive backlash
(Tim) Thomas makes second political statement (Stands With Catholics)
Southern Baptist leader: If Obama mandate isn’t changed, Christians will go to jail
Over 150 congressional leaders demand repeal of HHS mandate

Boehner vows to overturn Obama’s birth control coverage rule
Boehner: Congress to overturn birth control policy if Obama does not reverse course
O'Brien says Archdiocese of Baltimore won't offer birth control coverage
Archbishop of San Francisco says Obama ruling strikes at religious freedom
How Obama Lost the Catholic Vote
‘I am going to stick with fellow Catholics’ in Pres. Obama’s war on Catholics. Wherein Fr. Z rants.
Unholy War
Six Things Everyone Should Know about the HHS Mandate
Santorum: Obama Hostile to Christians
Understanding Oppostion to the HHS Mandate (Part 1): Why the Church Won’t Pay for Contracept

The Bishops Chickens Coming Home to Roost.
65 Orthodox Church bishops call on Obama to ‘rescind’ the ‘unjust’ contraception mandate
Doug Kmiec Writes Obama: 'Friendship Will Not Permit Me to Disregard Duty to Faith and Country'
Catholic Outcry Over Obama Administration's Birth Control Decision Could Factor In Presidential Race
Standing with the Bishops [Catholic Caucus]
Updated: *167* Bishops (More Than 90% of Dioceses) Have Spoken Out Against Obama/HHS Mandate
Outrage!… Military Tells Chaplains What They Can and Can’t Say About HHS/ObamaAssault on Religion
Updated: *153* Bishops (Over 80% of Dioceses) Have Spoken Out Against Obama/HHS Mandate
An Affront Catholics Agree On [Liberal and Conservative Catholics Against Obama Mandate]
Army Silenced Chaplains Last Sunday

Catholic Military Archdiocese & Chaplains interfered with last Sunday by Pres. Obama’s Admin
The Anti-Catholic President v. the Catholic Bishops
Sen. Rubio introduces bill to reverse Obama birth control mandate
Churches balk at birth control rule - Catholics won’t comply, Bishop Kevin Rhoades says
Protestants and Jews declare to White House: We stand with Catholics
Checking the Air Outside [Bp. Zubik's follow up to Obama's “To Hell with You”]
Mohler [Southern Baptist] Says Insurance Mandate Not Just 'Catholic' Issue
An Open Letter to President Barack Obama Concerning Recent Tyranny (With Pictures!)
Lincoln bishop: prepare for 'suffering' under HHS mandate
Bishop David Zubik confronts Obama
Obama’s ‘war on the church’

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

[Salvation]

I think you are wrong this time.

Dear CV Friend,

What just happened?

The truth: the assault on religious liberty just got worse.

Moments ago President Obama introduced an accounting gimmick to appease voters over his recent Health and Human Services mandate. The so-called compromise will continue to force virtually all employers, including religious institutions, to pay into insurance policies that cover abortion drugs and other immoral medicines and procedures.

What's the catch?

To protect himself from the national backlash, the President announced a "compromise" that will allow religious institutions to withhold premiums paid to insurance companies for select medicines and procedures they believe are immoral.

But these immoral medicines and drugs will continue to be provided by the same insurance plans for free -- to everyone, including every employee of Catholic institutions!

So President Obama decided to use insurance companies to hide his assault on religious liberty.

Separating the premiums paid to insurance companies does not change what these policies will cover. The very same policies funded by religious institutions will continue to cover contraception, birth control, and abortion drugs for every employee of these organizations. To pretend, by an accounting gimmick, that the premiums paid by the employer will not subsidize these services is simply absurd.

Furthermore, self-funded insurance plans (like many of those used by Catholic institutions) will continue to be forced to provide these immoral medicines.

And owners of businesses who believe abortion drugs are immoral? Sorry. To hell with liberty. Pay up.

All Americans should shudder at what has just transpired.

Despite repeated promises during the healthcare debate in 2009, the President of the United States has created a sham conscience compromise, and ordered all insurance companies to pay for abortion drugs -- and all religious institutions will be forced to pay into these plans.

He thought he could get away with this assault on our freedom. We called him out and forced him to respond. Now we must call his bluff.

This isn't the end.

CV President Brian Burch has been on the phone all morning with members of Congress urging them to immediately introduce legislation that will protect the conscience rights of all Americans.

Catholics don't want an accounting gimmick.

We want freedom.

And we won't rest until we get it.


- Your Friends at CatholicVote.org

[Salvation]

95 percent of the dioceses isn’t bad. Only four bishops have not spoken out against Obama.

[Salvation]

One of the Bishop’s letter actually started with the words, “Go to hell, Obama.”

[chessplayer]

Female reverend on Foxnews praised obama for bending over backwards to try to accomaodate the “unreasonable” Catholic bishops. She then went on to say that late term abortions are a blessing.

[Anti-Hillary]

That letter sounds prophetic!

[Salvation]

There are no female reverends in the Catholic Church. Was it a Catholic nun, maybe?

[DNA.2012]

Do you have a link to that letter?

[DNA.2012]

Video or “reverend” name?

[AliVeritas]

Meanwhile...

http://creepingsharia.wordpress.com/2012/02/09/minneapolis-adopts-sharia-law-to-help-muslim-businesses/

[matthew fuller]

"Next he’ll want to have everyone fed by the government"

That stuff is beneath a messiah- the First Clydesdale has that job.

[matthew fuller]

I saw that bitch. Couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

[matthew fuller]

I think that she was Episcopalian.

[SoFloFreeper]

You must be joking. :) I wish...

[don-o]

One of the Bishop’s letter actually started with the words, “Go to hell, Obama.”

Are you quite sure of that? Did not the letter begin with "Go to hell." and then go on to explain that that is what Obama is telling the Catholic Church?

[don-o]

I suggest you visit NRO, hotair or other conservative sites that blasted the timidity of Bishop Dolan and other leity today.

I went to both sites and did not find the blasts. Please supply links. Thank you.