Bishops unappeased by Obama’s “accommodation”

“The only complete solution to this religious liberty problem is for HHS to rescind the mandate of these objectionable services.”

Late today, the USCCB released a second statement on the Obama administration’s “accommodation” regarding mandated insurance coverage for contraception, sterilization, and abortifacients. The conference’s first statement, released shortly after the president’s announcement this morning, included a quote from Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan calling the administration’s decision “a first step in the right direction,” but stated that the bishops would “reserve judgment on the details until we have them.”

In their second statement today, the bishops say that their concerns have not been laid to rest by the administration’s move, and call on the Department of Health and Human Services to completely rescind the mandate (emphasis in the original):

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.

Read the complete statement from the USCCB here.


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About Catherine Harmon 577 Articles
Catherine Harmon is managing editor of Catholic World Report.