Says in Amicus Curiae Brief before the U. S. Supreme Court that the Law Forces Unconstitutional “Abortion Premium Mandate” on American People
WASHINGTON, D.C. (03-27-12) – Americans United for Life President and CEO Dr. Charmaine Yoest called the controversial healthcare law before the U.S. Supreme Court today “the largest expansion of abortion since Roe v. Wade.” To combat that expansion, AUL has challenged the law on multiple fronts, including joining an amicus curiae brief in today’s arguments in United States Department of Health and Human Services v. State of Florida.
“Americans United for Life made key predictions during the healthcare debate – many of which have tragically come true,” said Dr. Yoest. “But in throwing out this travesty of public policy, the U.S. Supreme Court can negate Obamacare’s massive expansion of abortion.”
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“AUL predicted that loopholes existed that could allow for individual and taxpayer funding of abortions. We were right. In the amicus curiae brief, AUL, along with lead counsel, the Bioethics Defense Fund, and other pro-life allies, notes that Obamacare violates the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment by effectively forcing millions of individuals to personally pay a separate premium for abortion in violation of their sincerely held religious or moral beliefs.”
“AUL predicted that people’s First Amendment freedom of conscience rights could be violated by the healthcare law. We were right. Our predictions have come true on two fronts.
“In the guidelines for preventive care, the Obama Administration forces nearly all Americans to pay for life-ending drugs and devices such as the abortion-inducing drug ella, which the FDA has deceptively labeled as ‘contraception.’ In the broader healthcare law, the Act’s ‘abortion premium mandate’ violates the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment.
“It is time for the Supreme Court to rectify this legislative overreach that attempts to reach into the very hearts and mind of Americans to force compliance with this Administration’s agenda. AUL stands with the 72 percent of Americans who said in a recent USA Today/Gallup poll that Obamacare will make health care worse or won’t help at all.”
AUL has already assisted eight states to opt-out of permitting abortion coverage in their Exchanges under the healthcare law, as well as launched a nationwide educational campaign on the violations of the First Amendment freedom of conscience rights, asking “Who put the ‘Con’ in Contraception?” For more on the AUL brief and for research and analysis on the issues in this case, click here.
