Action Alert: HHS Mandate Violates Conscience Rights
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently issued an interim rule requiring almost all private health plans to cover contraception and sterilization as “preventive services” for women. The rule does include a religious exemption for a religious employer, but only one which has “inculcation of religious values” as its purpose, primarily employs and serves persons of the same faith, and meets narrow provisions of the U.S. tax code.
Many Catholic colleges and universities, hospitals, and charitable organizations would not qualify for an exemption with these standards. Catholic elementary and secondary schools who have non-Catholic students would also not qualify.
Tell HHS that health care mandates should NOT require persons or institutions to violate their moral or religious beliefs:
I urge you to allow all organizations and individuals to offer, sponsor, and obtain health coverage that does not violate their moral and religious convictions. The religious exemption for employers must be broadened so that sterilization and prescription contraceptives, especially those which may cause an early abortion, are not required in private health plans. Conscience rights and religious freedom must be respected.
Submission deadline is September 30th. You may submit your message directly to HHS here (click the "Submit a Comment" button).
Related:
HHS Needs to Remove Itself from the Sanctuary (Huffington Post)
HHS Mandate Violates Conscience Rights (CatholicMaine)
Pregnancy is Not a Disease (CatholicMaine)
Contracepting Conscience (Public Discourse)
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Yet, how many of you have heard this condemned from the pulpits at Churches here in Maine? Again, a vote for this administration is a vote against the Catholic Church. If one is a sincere Catholic and votes for Obama, then one is simply a "useful idiot," a term Communists apply to the sheep who rally for their own subjugation. These rules are NOT Constitutional, but are the result of an every increasing move to allow the government to encroach on our lives. Our leaders are growing a dependent underclass to help them stay in power. Our politicians won't submit to their own rules. My dear people, this may be the last chance to set America right.
Let's get our Bishops and priests all over the world to speak up about the injustices perpetrated by our secular governments. Forcing Catholic institutions to provide immoral services is NOT the right of the government, and is a blow against true religious freedom. Educate or suffer the consequences.