Washington, D.C. – Interfaith Alliance President Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy released the following statement in response to new rules issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services related to the Affordable Care Act’s contraception mandate:

“The regulations proposed by the Obama Administration are likely the least bad outcome that could be achieved following the mess made by the Supreme Court’s recent decisions on the contraception mandate. The accommodation the administration initially put forward – though already a departure from the more narrowly tailored exemption we urged – was an acceptable measure when it was limited to religious institutions. Broadening it now to include for-profit corporations sets a dangerous precedent by allowing an ever-expanding group of businesses to wrap themselves in the cloak of religion in order to opt out of the rule of law.”

“While the administration’s action takes a significant step toward protecting the health care of women across the country, let’s be clear that this latest action in no way undoes the broader damage to religious freedom inflicted by the Court’s majority decision in Hobby Lobby. The religious right’s attempt to redefine religious freedom and impose its own point of view on the rest of us, cannot be allowed to continue unopposed.”

Interfaith Alliance is a network of people of diverse faiths and beliefs from across the country working together to build a resilient democracy and fulfill America’s promise of religious freedom and civil rights not just for some, but for all. We mobilize powerful coalitions to challenge Christian nationalism and religious extremism, while fostering a better understanding of the healthy boundaries between religion and government. We advocate at all levels of government for an equitable and just America where the freedoms of belief and religious practice are protected, and where all persons are treated with dignity and have the opportunity to thrive. For more information visit interfaithalliance.org.