Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Billy Long: Why is media ignoring Obamacare's threat to religious freedom?

(More from Seventh District Congressman Billy Long's latest newsletter)

One aspect of Obamacare that seems to be lost in the media coverage is the threat to religious liberty.  Freedom of religion is a fundamental right protected by the Constitution’s First Amendment.  

Like many Americans, I was shocked to learn earlier this year that President Obama’s Department of Health and Human Services issued a new rule forcing religious institutions to violate their sacred beliefs on the dignity of human life.

This rule requires individual and group health plans to cover free sterilization and all contraceptives approved by the Food and Drug Administration.  The rule also narrowly defined religious institutions. Since religiously affiliated hospitals, universities and charities were not included in the rule’s narrow exemption, the Obama administration is now on the record as requiring these religiously affiliated organizations to cover sterilization procedures and contraception, including the abortion pill, which violates their sacred beliefs on life.  

I am a proud supporter of H.R. 3982, the Religious Liberty Protection Act, which would prohibit the department from forcing employers with religious objections to provide coverage of sterilization or contraceptive services. 

Obamacare is wrong for our country for many reasons, but a health care reform effort should not violate religious freedom and force religious groups and entities to participate in practices that go against their religious doctrines.

2 comments:

Busplunge said...

Billy Long is rudderless. He wants to win so bad but has two challengers who are to the right of him.

Billy needs that right wing vote to win but he also needs moderate R's to put him over the top against Moon and Stilson.

So what does Billy do?

He puts out a TV commercial saying he's fed up with President Obama which appeals to the right wing.

In his newsletter he says "the president has shown an interest in increasing American exports and the purpose of this letter was to show the president that 73 members of the Republican freshman class are willing to work on this issue that will help support American jobs."

So, to the base he is anti Obama, but to those who read he is taking a much more moderate position.

Aw, he wants his cake and eat it too.

Anonymous said...

Billy don't care about freedom. He had the FBI investigate and intimidate bloggers who were critical of him.