Democrats working on bill to override Supreme Courts Hobby Lobby ruling By Cliff Pinckard, Northeast Ohio Media Group Democrats in the U.S. Senate plan to soon introduce a bill in an attempt to override the Supreme Courts recent ruling allowing companies such as Hobby Lobby a religious exemption from providing contraception to workers under Obamacare. The bill would prohibit companies from discriminating against female employees in any health coverage that is guaranteed under federal law, according to a Politico. The bill also says that no federal law, including the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, allows an employer to refuse to comply with the health care laws preventive services requirement, Politico says. The bill is sponsored by Sens. Patty Murray of Washington and Mark Udall of Colorado and was put together in consultation with the Obama administration, the New York Times reports: Ms. Murrays bill criticizes the courts majority opinion and declares that employers may not discriminate against their female employees in the coverage of preventive health services. To this end, it says that an employer shall not deny coverage of a specific health care item or service where coverage is required under any provision of federal law. This requirement, it says, shall apply to employers notwithstanding the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The bill does not amend the law. The Murray-Udall proposal would include an exemption for houses of worship and the Obama administrations accommodation for religious nonprofits, which is the subject of separate litigation, Politico reports. According to The Hill, Democrats are aware the House would never defy the courts ruling but are confident the public sides with them and want to draw the GOP into a political fight over birth control in order to energize women voters. Republicans say the strategy will neither fly with women voters nor insulate vulnerable Democrats from losses in November, according to The Hill.
Posted on: Wed, 09 Jul 2014 09:35:59 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015