Dems For Life on HHS Mandate

Democrats for Life of America (DFLA) has filed a comment with the HHS regarding the contracpetion mandate. In a press release, Kristen Day, executive director at DFLA said, "The passage of the ACA was successful due to the support of DFLA and pro-life Democrats who supported passage of the bill after the President assured, through the Executive Order, that conscience rights would be protected and no funding would be used for abortion. The HHS needs to respect the promise made by the President."

"The religious organizations that are at the center of the contraception debate are in many cases the very same organizations who are helping the sick, the needy, and the poor," said Day. "We recognize the Administration's goal to provide free contraception, but it could be done without compromising the rights of religious-based organizations who oppose abortion. The clearest and best path is to apply one of the many current and tested statutes that provides conscience protection to those organizations whose charitable or educational activities are deeply religiously motivated."

Day and her organization join the Catholic Health Association and Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good in urging the Obama administration to fix this. I wish to repeat the question that is haunting me: Why is NARAL and Planned Parenthood fighting to retain a policy that does not guarantee universal access to contraception, when many have outlined a proposal that both respects religious liberty and would provide such universal access? The White House and HHS can talk until they are blue in the face about the fact that the restrictive four-part definition of a religious employer is not a precedent, but their pro-choice allies are surely acting as if that is exactly what they want, a precedent that turns Catholic charities, universities and hospitals into secular organizations for purposes of the law. If that doesn't frighten everyone who cares about the First Amendment, well, it should.