“Our government should not punish citizens who have a conscientious objection
to Obamacare’s anti-life agenda,” said AUL’s Dr. Charmaine Yoest.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (01-15-15) – Americans United for Life’s filed an amicus curiae (friend-of-the-court) brief today with the United States Supreme Court in Michigan Catholic Conference v. Burwell. This is AUL’s 25th brief demonstrating that the coercive, unconstitutional effects of Obamacare’s anti-life mandates force non-profit religious employers to facilitate coverage for life-ending drugs and devices in violation of their moral and religious beliefs.
“Despite the scientific evidence that some drugs and devices, deceptively labeled as ‘contraception,’ do in fact end unborn life, the Obama Administration continues to use the coercive power of government to compel their purchase,” said AUL’s CEO and President Dr. Charmaine Yoest. “Forcing a non-profit religious organization to choose between following its beliefs or facing ruinous fines is unconstitutional and un-American. Our government should not punish citizens who have a conscientious objection to Obamacare’s anti-life agenda.”
Claiming to “accommodate” religious employers, the Obama Administration announced in an August 2014 regulation that those with religious beliefs opposed to facilitating and paying for life-ending drugs and devices must hand over to the federal government the name and contact information “for any of the plan’s third party administrators and health insurance issuers.” The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) made clear that it will use that information to force the religious employer’s insurance provider to include the objected-to items and services.
In this case, Michigan Catholic Conference v. Burwell, the trial court denied the religious organization’s request for a preliminary injunction that would have protected the organization from the coercive anti-life Mandate while appeals continue. After the Sixth Circuit affirmed the lower court in June, Michigan Catholic Conference appealed to the Supreme Court.
In its brief, available here, AUL demonstrates that the life of a new human being begins at fertilization (conception), that some drugs and devices labeled as so-called “emergency contraception” have post-fertilization effects that can prevent a new, developing human being from implanting in the uterus and thus ending his or her young life. The brief also demonstrates that forcing employers to provide coverage for such drugs violates constitutionally protected freedom of conscience.
In the brief, Americans United for Life represents the Association of American Physicians & Surgeons, American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians & Gynecologists, Christian Medical Association, Catholic Medical Association, The National Catholic Bioethics Center, Alabama Physicians for Life, National Association of Pro Life Nurses, and National Association of Catholic Nurses.
Abortion and anti-life policies are woven into the healthcare law at multiple levels, making repeal of the law a pro-life necessity, including:
- Failing to prohibit the use of federal tax dollars for abortion, abortion coverage, and abortion-inducing drugs and devices.
- Pretending that the Hyde Amendment protections were enough to prohibit direct payment for abortions.
- Permitting federally subsidized Qualified Health Plans (QHPs) to provide abortion coverage through the state insurance exchanges required in all 50 states.
- Failing to prohibit all multi-state qualified health plans from providing coverage for abortion.
- Including a “preventive care” mandate that is being used to force coverage of drugs and devices known to end life.
- Failing to provide comprehensive First Amendment conscience protections for individuals, employers, and insurance companies that have religious or moral objections to abortion.
To learn more about Real Healthcare that Respects Life, click here.
