FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 6, 2020
CONTACT
Manisha Sunil, West End Strategy Team
msunil@westendstrategy.com; Phone: 202-417-0171
Interfaith Alliance: Healthcare Decisions Should Be Driven By Personal Beliefs, Not Employers
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Following oral arguments today before the Supreme Court in Little Sisters of the Poor v. Pennsylvania and Trump v. Pennsylvania regarding a proposed rule permitting an exemption for “religious and moral objections” to the Affordable Care Act birth control coverage requirement, Katy Joseph, director of policy and advocacy for Interfaith Alliance, released the following statement:
“Today’s oral arguments raised one central question: should employers and universities be allowed to intervene in employees’ and students’ medical decision-making, based on religious or moral objection?
“The clear answer here is no. The First Amendment protects every American’s ability to believe as we choose, ensuring freedom of and freedom from religion. None of us have the right to impose our beliefs on others, as Congress contemplated before passing the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. This landmark law offers protections for personal religious expression, but only up to the point that this expression harms a third party like an employee or student.
“We urge the Court to protect millions of workers, students, and their families from the harm posed by the Trump’s administration’s proposed rule. Choosing whether and when to use birth control are deeply personal and for many people, often informed by religious and moral conviction. Making healthcare decisions based on your personal beliefs and needs is a matter of religious freedom — and no one’s business but your own.”
If you are interested in speaking with Katy Joseph further on this issue, please contact Manisha Sunil at msunil@westendstrategy.com or 202-417-0171.
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