The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals Tuesday rejected a complaint by the Little Sisters of the Poor that Obamacare's contraception mandate violated their religious liberties. The ruling ensures that women across the nation will be able to access birth control regardless of where they work,
reports Emma Green:
A three-member panel of judges ruled that the Obama administration has come up with a sufficient accommodation for religious organizations like the Little Sisters: If they object to providing insurance coverage to employees who want to buy birth control, organizations can sign a two-page form stating that objection. That’s it—from there, the administration will arrange for a third-party provider to make sure the employee can get coverage.
Jeb!
derided the mandate while campaigning just last month, saying, "It comes down to a choice between the Little Sisters and Big Brother, and I'm going with the Sisters." That's because Jeb! prioritizes the religious freedoms of a group of celibate nuns over providing affordable healthcare options to women across America.
The Little Sisters had claimed the government mandate substantially burdened their religious beliefs and therefore violated the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The 10th Circuit not only rejected that argument but it also ruled the mandate wasn't a violation of First Amendment rights.
According to Planned Parenthood, this was the fifth federal appeals court to rule against such a claim.
"Yet another court has affirmed what we already know: These claims are baseless and ultimately about paperwork — not religious freedom. Religious groups have been exempt all along and will continue to be, which is why every appeals court has rejected these claims," said Cecile Richard, president of Planned Parenthood.